Help for the Semantic Network Service (SNS)
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| The menu items "Search Topic/Event" or "Index" give you direct access to the available terms. |
| A short user guide (PDF, DE) |
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| Environmental applications are invited to integrate SNS facilities via Web Services. This includes the automatic indexing of Web pages.
A rather developed application example is the German Environmental Portal "PortalU". |
| Umweltportal Deutschland (PortalU) |
| More about the SNS Web Services ... |
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Web Service FAQ
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| 1. What are the SNS Web Services? |
| 2. What can I use SNS Web Services for? |
| 3. Why Web Services? |
| 4. Are there any implemented applications? |
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| 1. What are the technichal prerequisites? |
| 2. Do I have to purchase software? |
| 3. What operating systems are supported? |
| 4. How do I integrate the interface in my application? |
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| 1. Are there any security risks? |
| 2. Can I use the services through a firewall? |
| 3. Will my activity be recorded by SNS? |
| 4. When are the services available? |
| 5. What is the access key for? |
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1. What are the SNS Web Services?
SNS Web Services provide a simple way of using the domain terminology of environmental protection. The services are maintained by the Federal Environmental Agency to support the consequent use of a common terminologie. This targets at improving the investigation and the comparability of the information content. |
2. What can I use SNS Web Services for?
SNS Web Services support indexing of information, and the investigation. SNS automatically generates significant keywords that describe online-documenten. In the investigation process SNS helps to determine appropriate search terms. |
3. Why Web Services?
Convenient information systems can integrate this terminology into their application by common Internet connections without having to install any required database or specialized SNS-software. Web Services are an established standard by now. |
| Web Service Activity des World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) |
4. Are there any implemented applications?
Starting with September 2003 the Umweltportal Deutschland (PortalU) uses indexing and investigation support by SNS Web Services. The portals GeoPortal.Bund® and GeoMIS.Thüringen have integrated the Web Services since 2004. PortalU also integrates the Environmental Data Catalogue (UDK). |
| Umweltportal Deutschland (PortalU) |
| GeoPortal.Bund® |
| GeoMIS.Thüringen |
| Coordination PortalU |
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1. What are the technichal prerequisites?
Most of all you need a permanent and fast Internet connection. You must be able to integrate interfacing software into your application. |
| Please also consult "Three steps to the integration of the SNS Web Services" |
2. Do I have to purchase software?
You can use available Open Source software. SNS offers a Java-interface based on Apache Axis ready to use, and for free. |
3. What operating systems are supported?
The operating systems of the clients are independant of the operating system used by the server. Web Services are supported by all the commonly used Unix- and Microsoft-systems. The same is true for any interface programming. Web Services tools are available for all the commonly used programming languages, and the choice is independant of the programming language used by the server. |
4. How do I integrate the interface in my application?
The SNS Developer Toolkit provides so called Java 'stubs'. These are classes that implement all the technical details of communication, plus data container classes. From the application point of view the network scenario is completely encapsulated. The stub classes can be integrated just as if they were all completely local. As an alternative to the Java stubs the Microsoft .NET application can be used. It, too, offers you an example programme. (Note: To use .NET, you will need some additional Microsoft software. See README in the .NET Developer Toolkit.) |
| Download Java Developer Toolkit |
| Download .NET Developer Toolkit |
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1. Are there any security risks?
SNS Web Services never access your server on thir own. Any connection originates by your application. When you have started a service request SNS responds with a well defined definierten XML structure containing readable text only. It is assumed that any transferred information (e.g. documents referenced for automatic indexing) do not contain any confidential information. |
2. Can I use the services through a firewall?
Web Services use HTTP, just as any common Internet connection. If you can access the public Internet through your firewall, you can expect that your application will be able to access the Web Services as well. |
3. Will my activity be recorded by SNS?
SNS utilizes - as any Web Server - the common Web statistics to be aware of the traffic development and to measure its own success. On this basis, the further development can be synchronized with the real situation. There is no further utilization of statistics. |
4. When are the services available?
SNS Web Services are maintained 24/7 non-stop, having a minimum availability of 99,8% over one year. |
5. What is the access key for?
It is mainly good for getting into contact with users before they start their application and to focus the user community in a reasonable way. Commercial usage is not currently supported. |
