[OSGeo-Discuss] Integration test bed

[Dave Patton]

Tim Bowden wrote:
> I believe the integration test bed didn't go quite as well as planned.
> Any thoughts as to why, and what could be done next time to improve the
> experience?

First, a bit of background.....
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http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/FOSS4G2007_IntegrationShowcase

The original idea of the FOSS4G2007 Integration Showcase
was that Sponsors and Exhibitors would cooperate to build
a set of data and services, running on various platforms, that
would show the integration at work. Each Sponsor/Exhibitor
would have 'the Showcase Diagram' in their booth, but with
highlights showing where their products/services/data
fit into the overall Showcase.

Refractions bootstrapped this process by providing a
server, and, after some data was loaded and a PostGIS
database setup, making it available on the Internet.

The original plan was to use data from a variety of
sources, but due to some issues with licensing, it
was decided to go with the OSGeo Public Geospatial
Data Committee's idea and use only publicly available
geodata. Data from some Canadian sources was loaded
onto the Refractions server.
http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/Canadian_Geodata

There was a plan at one point for the Integration
Showcase data/services to be made available for use
by Workshop/Lab Instructors for use in their classes,
but that was dropped due to performance concerns.

As Tim noted, the Integration Showcase didn't move
much beyond the initial server/data.
--------------------------------------------------------------


The future.....
==============================================================
Justin Deoliveira, of the Open Planning Project, was in charge
of the Integration Showcase, and he loaded the Canadian geodata
onto the Refractions server. During FOSS4G2007 I had a
discussion with Justin and Chris Holmes, about the Integration
Showcase. What came out of that was an idea of 'how to do it
better in the future'. I then had subsequent discussions with
some other people at the conference about this idea. Here is my
interpretation of the general outline of what was discussed.

The showcase consists of data and the products needed to
process that data and make it available in a variety of ways.

All OSGeo projects must contribute to the showcase, and keep
maintaining their portion of the showcase.

The showcase would initially be built using some known set
of data. Preparation before FOSS4G might include adapting
the showcase to use a set of 'local data'. OSGeo local
chapters might also produce sets of 'local data' for
use with the showcase.

The building of 'the showcase' should be done by OSGeo, not
as part of the preparation for a particular conference. There
may be multiple 'versions' of the showcase over time, but
there should be a stable version well in advance of FOSS4G.

Each FOSS4G conference should have a 'track' that consists of
starting with "the data" and working through the processing
of that data and installation & configuration of all the
showcase software. Because the showcase was already built
before the conference, this 'track' can be setup as a set
of distinct 'modules'. That provides the flexibility for
different students to attend different parts of the 'track',
as well as being able to start each module with a known
working setup.

Workshop/Lab Instructors, Presenters, Sponsors, and Exhibitors
would be encouraged to make use of the showcase's capabilities.

The showcase should be made available in various 'formats'.
That might include having a version always running on the
telascience servers, and having a LiveCD/DVD version
available for download.

A showcase such as this, along with some 'marketing materials',
could be used by OSGeo evangelists in their activities.
==============================================================

-- 
Dave Patton

Degree Confluence Project:
Canadian Coordinator
Technical Coordinator
http://www.confluence.org/

FOSS4G2007:
Workshop Committee
Conference Committee
http://www.foss4g2007.org/

Personal website:
Maps, GPS, etc.
http://members.shaw.ca/davepatton/