CREATING NATIONAL NODES OF THE BIOSAFETY CLEARING-HOUSE CANADIAN

CREATING NATIONAL NODES OF THE BIOSAFETY CLEARING-HOUSE CANADIAN SYSTEM Training of Trainers (To. T) Workshop for Regional Advisors 15 -27 May 2006 Bangkok, Thailand

Presentation Outline • • • Overview Quick “Guided Tour” Hands on session with live system Web service demonstration Deployment scenarios Customization

History • Agreement between Canada and UNEP • System outgrowth of another approach • System to be made available to countries participating in the UNEP-GEF BCH project

Purpose • Permit countries to quickly and easily create national Web sites related to biosafety. • These Web sites can include: – Static information – Hyperlinks to other sites – Information required under the Protocol

Requirements • Keep it simple – Minimize IT knowledge required to use it – Minimize IT infrastructure required to run it • Avoid duplication of effort – Piggyback on existing infrastructure – Re-use existing data where possible • Maximize flexibility – One tool that meets many countries’ needs

Result • The Generic Web Site application – Web site content management tool – allows for countries’ preferences for providing information related to biosafety – specifically tailored to assist countries in meeting their requirements related to the Biosafety Protocol.

System Components • Web site • Content management tool • Web service

Web Site Component • Country has its own Web site. • Web site can contain country-specific content not possible through central portal. • Web site can have multiple language environments. • Web site look and feel can be customized (advanced).

Content Management Tool • • • Specify languages for the site Create pages with HTML content Create links to URLs Create pages for BCH records Create site maps Specify banner images

BCH Records • Enter data using the BCH Management Centre. • Record is stored in the Central Portal’s database. • Record is authorized by BCH national focal point. • Record is published on the Central Portal Web site.

Web Service • Web service sends XML files for BCH records to the country Web site. • BCH records are automatically displayed on the country Web site. • Records are rendered with style sheets. • Style sheets can be customized to support local (non-UN) languages (advanced).

System Components • • • Web site Content management tool Web service BCH management centre BCH central database

Guided Tour

Adding Languages

URLs • Web site: http: //199. 212. 18. 83: 8080/Instance. X/main • Bookmark: Canadian App – Live – Website • Management Tool: http: //199. 212. 18. 83: 8080/Instance. X/admin • Bookmark: Canadian App – Live – Management Tool

Setup and Configuration

History – Part 2 • • Samoa – regional node concept Hosting issues MOU between Canada and CBD Sec Important in context of deployment scenarios

Deployment Scenario 1 • Web site and content management application hosted on CBD Sec server. • Content management done on-line over the Internet. • Suitable for countries with Internet access that is fast, reliable, affordable and available.

Deployment Scenario 2 • Web site and content management application hosted on CBD Sec server. • Local installation of content management application. • Content management done locally. • Files sent to server on CD or over the Internet. • Suitable for countries where Internet access is not fast, reliable, affordable or available.

Deployment Scenario 3 • Country hosts Web site and content management application. • Hosted on domestic government servers and/or international ISPs. • Web service from CBD Sec. • Suitable for countries with strong IT/IM capabilities.

DEPLOYMENT PREFERENCE • Scenario 1: – strongly recommended. • Scenario 2: – acceptable in the short term for countries with poor Internet conditions. – countries expected to migrate to Scenario 1 as soon as conditions permit. • Scenario 3: – technically possible but not acceptable.

Rationale for Preferences • Scenario 1: – easiest set-up for countries – centralized administration and maintenance • Scenario 2: – more difficult set-up for countries – many local installations makes administration and update difficult – local maintenance likely not as regular or robust • Scenario 3: – most difficult set up – logistical complexity of administering and updating many installations significantly impacts the ability and cost of support.

Technologies • Java – technology behind the content management Web application • Apache Tomcat – Web server used to process Java technologies • Axis – used to deploy the Java-based Web service

IT Setup – CBD Sec Server • each country has its own instance • each instance contains – content management tool – development Web site – production (live) Web site – Web site configuration files (. css) – BCH record style sheets (. xml and. xslt)

IT Set up – Scenario 1 • Technical Side: – Internet connection

IT Set-up - Scenario 2 • • • Install Java Install Tomcat Install Generic Web Site application Internet connection CD-burner

Customization

Configuration – Look and Feel • Country may ask for specific colour themes and fonts to match other government sites. • Cascading style sheets (. css) file used to set Web site look and feel. • RA modifies. css file on local installation. • . css file uploaded to that country’s instance.

Stylesheets

STYLE SHEETS • Style sheets are like forms with place holders (i. e. boxes) for specific data elements • Style sheets can have labels associated with the place holders • Labels and titles are consistent between records of the same type • Data elements may vary between records • Style sheets formatting is in. css file

WEB SEVICE TO WEB SITE • Web site needs to know what to do with data sent by the Web service so it displays on the Web site correctly – right page and right format. • Data sent from the management centre includes information identifying type of record being sent (e. g. CNA or NFP) • GWS program reads information sent and places it on correct page using the appropriate style sheet for that type of record