The LTER Network Information System (NIS)

Issue: 
Network News Spring 1996, Vol. 19 No. 1
Section:
Network News

A network information system (NIS) working group was established at the August 1995 LTER Data Managers Meeting in Snowbird, Utah to design and develop an LTER-wide information system that facilitates cross-site data exchange for intersite research with the capacity for seamless information and data queries. The primary objectives of the effort are to: increase the utility of the existing network and site information systems; and increase access, query, and retrieval capabilities on intersite data. The multidisciplinary group includes LTER data managers, principal investigators, and members from the research community at large.

The group has begun the process of developing a design document (available via WWW at http://lternet.edu/is/) and establishing a preliminary work plan for development and implementation of an LTER Integrated Network Information System. The envisioned system will be a distributed system using advanced client/server network tools, independent of computer platform, ensuring the system is useful into the coming decade. In addition, the group will strive to integrate site-level information systems, not replace them.

The effort will focus on advances in the query and retrieval system that will facilitate:

  1. Searching for data available anywhere in the LTER Network
  2. Combining and analyzing data from different sites
  3. Answering standardized information requests
  4. Building economical query systems for specific projects
  5. Building analysis and display tools that are intuitive to researchers

Plans for 1996 include:

  • A review of the basic design and implementation strategy
  • Establishing participation by intersite and synthesis groups
  • Adoption of metadata standards for ecological data
  • Beginning the development of the "distributed" LTER all-site bibliography

While the mission is to meet the research needs of LTER scientists, the information system will be available to a broader community of scientists.

For more information: James Brunt, Sevilleta LTER, jBrunt@LTERnet.edu; Rudolf Nottrott, LTER Network Office, rNottrott@LTERnet.edu