The document describes the Information Workbench, a self-service platform for developing linked data applications. The key points are: 1. Developing linked data applications is challenging due to issues like integrating diverse data sources and ensuring data and interface quality. 2. The Information Workbench addresses these challenges by providing semantics-based integration of public and private data sources, intelligent data access and analytics tools, and a collaborative authoring environment. 3. The platform uses a self-service model where users can provision instances in the cloud, discover and integrate relevant linked open data sources, customize interfaces using semantic widgets, and extend the platform with their own components.

1. The Information Workbench as a Self-Service
Platform for Linked Data Applications
COLD Workshop @ ISWC, Nov 23, 2011
Peter Haase, Michael Schmidt, Andreas Schwarte
fluid Operations AG

2. Linked Data Application Development is a
Difficult Task
Example: Linked Data-Thon
Build an end user oriented Linked Data Application in two weeks,
using ISWC metadata and other Linked Data sources
Challenges
• Discovery and automated integration of relevant data sources
• Heterogeneity in various dimensions
• Quality of Linked Data
• End-user oriented interfaces

3. Platform for Linked Data Applications
Information Workbench:
 Semantics- & Linked Data-based
integration of private and public
data sources
 Intelligent Data Access and
Analytics
 Visual Exploration
 Semantic Search
 Dashboarding and Reporting
 Collaboration and knowledge
management platform
 Wiki-based curation &
authoring of data
Semantic Web Data  Collaborative workflows
3

4. E v e r y t h i n g S e l f -s e r v i c
Self-Service Application Development Process
1. Provisioning of the Software Platform
• Delivered through a Self-Service Portal
• Hosting in public or private clouds
2. Linked Open Data Discovery
• Access to data registered at global registries,
e.g. ckan.org, data.gov, …
• Visually explore data sets and
identify those relevant for your application
3. Data Integration
• Integrate the data sets with the click of your mouse
• Add providers for internal and external legacy data
4. Customization of the Frontend
• Semantic Wiki + Widgets as Self-service Linked Data Frontend
• Declaratively customize the user interface using a selection of widgets
5. Extending the Platform with own Components
• Use APIs and SDKs to implement your own widgets, providers, etc.

5. Example: ISWC 2011 Conference Explorer
Data Sources:
Events
Topics
People
Publications
Places
Functionalities:
• Explore conference schedule, publications, etc.
• Conference statistics
• Connect online accounts, such as Twitter and Facebook
• Like events, papers
• Social Network Analysis

6. Information Workbench:
Cloud Platform Architecture
Application Layer (SaaS)
Provisioning, Monitoring and Management
Virtualization Layer
Infrastructure Layer (IaaS) Data Layer (DaaS)
Netw.-Att. Storage Network Computing Resources Enterprise Data Sources Open Data Sources

7. Information Workbench:
Integration of Virtualized Data Sources as a Service
Application Layer
Virtualization Layer
Data Layer
SPARQL SPARQL SPARQL SPARQL
Endpoint Endpoint Endpoint Endpoint
Metadata
Registry
Data Source Data Source Data Source Data Source
See also presentation at main conference on Wednesday:
FedX: Optimization Techniques for Federated Query Processing on Linked Data

8. Information Workbench Self Service Platform
• Create your own instance of the Information Workbench at the click of a button
• Select from pre-defined configurations for certain application domains
• Provision in private or public cloud environments (such as Amazon EC2)

9. Self Service Deployment Wizard (2)
Adjust basic configuration (name, zone)

10. Self Service Deployment Wizard (3)
Selection of data set(s)

11. Self Service Deployment Wizard (4)
Advanced configuration

12. Semantic Wiki + Widgets as Self-service
Linked Data Frontend
• Semantic Wiki for collaborative authoring and linking of
unstructured and structured semantic data
• Declarative specification of the UI based on available pool of
widgets and simple wiki-based syntax
• Widgets have direct access to the database
• Embed dynamic data, visualizations, forms, etc.
• Type-based template mechanism
Wiki Page in Edit Mode … … and Displayed Result Page

13. ISWC 2011 Conference Explorer
http://iwb.fluidops.com:7880/

14. CONTACT:
fluid Operations
Altrottstr. 31
Walldorf, Germany
Email: contact@fluidOps.com
website: www.fluidOps.com
Tel.: +49 6227 3846-527