In this work, we focus on the problem of annotation tagging over information spaces of objects st... more In this work, we focus on the problem of annotation tagging over information spaces of objects stored in a full-text index. In such a scenario, data curators assign tags to objects with the purpose of classification, while generic end users will perceive tags as searchable and browsable object properties. To carry out their activities, data curators need annotation tagging tools that allow them to bulk tag or untag large sets of objects in temporary work sessions where they can virtually and in real time experiment with the effect of their actions before making the changes visible to end users. The implementation of these tools over full-text indexes is a challenge because bulk object updates in this context are far from being real-time and in critical cases may slow down index performance. We devised TagTick, a tool that offers to data curators a fully functional annotation tagging environment over the full-text index Apache Solr, regarded as a de facto standard in this area. TagTick consists of a TagTick Virtualizer module, which extends the API of Solr to support real-time, virtual, bulk-tagging operations, and a TagTick User Interface module, which offers end-user functionalities for annotation tagging. The tool scales optimally with the number and size of bulk tag operations without compromising the index performance.
In the last decade, as a consequence of the multidisciplinary and datadriven character of modern ... more In the last decade, as a consequence of the multidisciplinary and datadriven character of modern science, researchers grew a strong demand for collecting, integrating and combining information objects from multiple r research-oriented data sources. The objective is to improve the way research results are shared, discovered, and re-used across community boundaries. Interoperability issues of data and technologies, scarcity of computational resources, and highly evolving requirements typically represent an obstacle to practitioners constructing the "aggregative infrastructures" capable of performing such an integration. This paper presents the architectural principles and the services of the D-NET Software Toolkit, a framework where developers find the tools for constructing and operating aggregative infrastructures in a cost-effective way as instances of service-oriented data infrastructures. In D-NET developers can select from a variety of data management services, can configure them to handle data according to given data models, and can combine them into autonomic workflows to obtain personalized aggregative infrastructures.
Purpose - This paper presents the architectural principles and the services of the D-NET Software... more Purpose - This paper presents the architectural principles and the services of the D-NET Software Toolkit. D-NET is a framework where designers and developers find the tools for constructing and operating aggregative infrastructures (systems for aggregating data sources with heterogeneous data models and technologies) in a cost-effective way. Designers and developers can select from a variety of D-NET data management services, can configure them to handle data according to given data models, and can construct autonomic workflows to obtain personalized aggregative infrastructures.
Design/methodology/approach - The paper provides a definition of aggregative infrastructures, sketching architecture and components, as inspired by real-case examples. It then describes the limits of current solutions, which find their lacks in the realization and maintenance costs of such complex software. Finally, it proposes D-NET as an optimal solution for designers and developers willing to realize aggregative infrastructures. The D-NET architecture and services are presented, drawing a parallel with the ones of aggregative infrastructures. Finally, real-cases of D-NET are presented, to show-case the statement above.
Findings - The D-NET software toolkit is a general-purpose service-oriented framework where designers can construct customised, robust, scalable, autonomic aggregative infrastructures in a cost-effective way. D-NET is today adopted by several EC projects, national consortia and communities to create customised infrastructures under diverse application domains, and other organisations are enquiring for or are experimenting its adoption. Its customisability and extendibility make D-NET a suitable candidate for creating aggregative infrastructures mediating between different scientific domains and therefore supporting multi-disciplinary research.
Originality/value - D-NET is the first general-purpose framework of this kind. Other solutions are available in the literature but focus on specific use-cases and therefore suffer from the limited re-use in different contexts. Due to its maturity, D-NET can also be used by third-party organizations, not necessarily involved in the software design and maintenance.
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Papers by Claudio Atzori
Design/methodology/approach - The paper provides a definition of aggregative infrastructures, sketching architecture and components, as inspired by real-case examples. It then describes the limits of current solutions, which find their lacks in the realization and maintenance costs of such complex software. Finally, it proposes D-NET as an optimal solution for designers and developers willing to realize aggregative infrastructures. The D-NET architecture and services are presented, drawing a parallel with the ones of aggregative infrastructures. Finally, real-cases of D-NET are presented, to show-case the statement above.
Findings - The D-NET software toolkit is a general-purpose service-oriented framework where designers can construct customised, robust, scalable, autonomic aggregative infrastructures in a cost-effective way. D-NET is today adopted by several EC projects, national consortia and communities to create customised infrastructures under diverse application domains, and other organisations are enquiring for or are experimenting its adoption. Its customisability and extendibility make D-NET a suitable candidate for creating aggregative infrastructures mediating between different scientific domains and therefore supporting multi-disciplinary research.
Originality/value - D-NET is the first general-purpose framework of this kind. Other solutions are available in the literature but focus on specific use-cases and therefore suffer from the limited re-use in different contexts. Due to its maturity, D-NET can also be used by third-party organizations, not necessarily involved in the software design and maintenance.