Biosafety Clearing House Training Workshop

1. Biosafety Clearing HouseTraining Workshop 18-19 December, 2008 Bangkok

2. Options forNational Participation Trainers names

3. Overview • An outline of possible options • The different options (4+1) • The pros and cons of each option • Conclusion and questions

4. Options for national participation – 4+1 Complexity 1. Management Center Format 2. Simple nBCH Format Syntax 3. BCH Crawler Format 4. BCH Web Service Format Syntax Protocol +1. Offline Participation Format SOAP & WSDL Common Formats Vocabularies XML & XSD Advanced IT knowledge required No IT knowledge required Some IT knowledge required

5. Common Formats and Vocabularies • Whatever the chosen option for national participation, conformance to Common Formats and Controlled Vocabularies is required. • This is the electronic equivalent of using a form (with specific fields for information) with a list of pre-determined choices for each answer (the controlled vocabulary)

6. Option 1 • 1. BCH Management Centre • The Management Center of the BCH is the simplest, cheapest and most efficient way to register data in the BCH. • This is the most commonly used solution by governments and organizations.

7. Option 1 The Management Center is available online, as part of the BCH Central Portal. It contains a series of entry forms that corresponds to each common formats. It provides an easy and efficient way to submit information to the BCH in the proper format. Submitted information is immediately made available online upon approval. Example of an entry form

8. Option 1 • Pros • No software to install, location independent • No maintenance required • Easy to use, fully supported • Available in all 6 UN languages • Server Infrastructure, Security and Backups by SCBD • Requirements • Requires a reliable internet connection • Records have to be entered using the Management Center

9. Option 2 • 2. Simple nBCH Application • The Simple nBCH is a Microsoft Access database/application developed by the CBD Secretariat. • USA application –evolved from the former. • Pros • Easy to use • Does not require a stable internet connection • Information is hosted locally • Cons • Only supported on MS Windows • Software installation is required • Maintenance is required (for backups, etc...) • Records have to be entered manually • No integration with National or Regional Websites • Single node / computer, no distributed processing

10. Option 3 • 3. BCH Crawler • Place your documents online on your web server and wait for the BCH to download them. • Pros • Allow interoperability with existing databases • Relatively easy to implement • Information is hosted locally • Requirements • Requires a National Web Site • Requires a stable internet connectivity • Requires some IT knowledge • Requires development • Publishing of information may be delayed (about 24h) • Party is responsible for maintenance, backups, etc.

11. Options for national participation Overview • 4. BCH Web Service • Send your document programmatically to the BCH using the BCH Web Service • Pros • Allow interoperability with existing databases • Information is hosted locally • Information is published without delay • Does not require a stable internet connectivity • Requirements • Requires advanced IT knowledge • Requires development • Party is responsible for maintenance, backups, etc.

12. Options for national participation Overview • CANADIAN OPTION • Put your info in the BCH using Mgmt. Centre • Get your document programmatically from the BCH using the BCH Web Service • Pros • Allow interoperability with existing databases • Information is published without delay • Requirements • Web Site and stable internet connections

13. Options for national participation Scenarios BCH Central Portal http://bch.biodiv.org National Web Site http://www.bch.xy BCH DB BCH Management Centre Option 1 Information is entered once Information is entered twice

14. Options for national participation Scenarios BCH Central Portal National Web Site BCH DB Simple nBCH (MS Access) MDB Option 2 Information is entered once

15. Options for national participation Scenarios National Web Site BCH Central Portal BCH DB BCH DB XML XML XML XML Option 3 XML XML XML XML BCH Crawler XML XML XML XML National Applications Existing Databases DB • In this scenario, the BCH pulls the information from the National Web Site. • The BCH pulls the information on a regular basis to check for any updates DB

16. Options for national participation Scenarios BCH Central Portal National Web Site BCH DB BCH DB BCH Web Service Option 4 National Applications Existing Databases DB • In this scenario, the National Web Site pushes the information to the BCH. • The National Web Site has the control of when the information is updated. DB

17. Options for national participation Scenarios – Canadian new option BCH Management Centre BCH Central Portal Option 1 BCH DB BCH DB Option 4 BCH Web Service National Web Site • In this scenario, the BCH Central Portal pushes the information to the Web Site.

18. Conclusion • National options for participation • No solution is better than others • The best option depends on • the needs • how much information you have and; • how often you need to update your information • the assets • existing databases • platform used (windows, unix, etc.) • actual and future resources • IT knowledge • financial resources