NIH Web Services Discovery System andB2B eXchange
NSF Technology BriefingVienna, VA
January 2006
David RR Webber
2
Agenda
Business Objectives, History, Deliverables
Technology Approach
Technology Detail
Timelines
Opportunity Summary
Business Objectives, History, Deliverables
Overview
4
NIH eRA – Competitive Grants Applications
Currently handling about 2,000,000 pieces of paper annually – scanning to digital images
Web front door - “Commons” system: Number of Commons Logons: FY 2004: 565,344 FY 2005 to present: 946,330+
Registered Organization (All) = 2884, and Registered Persons - 45334
Grants applications posted electronically
eSNAP - FY 2003 = 329 FY 2004 = 2,854 Since 10/1/2004 = 5783+
The total number of FSRs processed (internal and external) = 54657
5
e-CGAP: Electronic Competitive Grant Application Process
Paperless grant applications and all post submission downstream processing
Extending a seamless grant workflow into the external community
Promote the concept of service provider
Leads to need for system to system interfaces and data streams
Which leads to the use of business to business electronic commerce concepts and standards
HHS Award Winning effort
6
Need to provide a common view
The typical grant applicants’ challenge
Juggling all the various different formats and procedures
7
Existing CGAP Transactions in place
Submission of modular grants Submission of full budget grants (no sub-
projects or consortia) Validation result returned to Submitter system Validation service before submission Grant image generation by NIH View and approve generated image for sign-off
of submission (web GUI) Investigator Personal profile query and update Status inquiries in grant workflow processing Notification of peer review assignment
8
Grants.gov Interfacing Schedule
9
Sample - Hourly Diagnostics Reporting
Time Related Reporting:Submissions processed within the last 24 hours: 102Grant images created within the last 24 hours: 25
SBIR/STTR totals:Total SBIR/STTR submissions processed: 7932Total SBIR/STTR grant images created: 1849Total unique SBIR/STTR applications with outstanding validation errors: 517
Grand totals to date:Total submissions processed: 8560Total grant images created: 2011Total applications awaiting verification: 61Total applications verified: 1924Total applications rejected: 26Total applications processed through Receipt and Referral: 1810Total unique applications with outstanding validation errors: 576
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Beyond Grants Applications The ability to interface quickly and easily to
external parties with limited resources is not just a grants applications need
Secure reliable verifiable common communications infrastructure based on open public specifications
Other potential applicable areas: HHS - Cancer Research Centers
CDC – Emergency Alerting systems
NSF – National Science Foundation grants
Navy – Medical Services coordination
FEMA – Emergency supply chain delivery
DHS – Intra-agency information sharing
EPA – External regulatory reporting
Technology Approach
Overview of Architecture and
Components
12
Leveraging Open Standards
Combining best-of-breed solution with both ebXML and Web services working together
Open source solution components to allow unrestricted integration by partners
Foundation of ebXML formal interchange model
Leveraging loose coupling of web services
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Registry
Exchange Functional Components
Network
Content
Transport
Security
ManageBusiness
Systems
Workflow
Payload
Handling
14
Registry
Exchange Operational Details
Network
Content
Transport
Security
ManageBusiness
Systems
Workflow
Payload
Handling
ContentVersions
MoUs
Business
Rules
Certificates
Identity
Role +
Context
Profiles
Industry
Semantics
Partners
Events Actions
Errors
Scripts
Scripts
Staged
Synch
Asynch
Fire
Wall
Virus
Check
Receive
Send
Dispatch
Errors
Validation
Business
Rules
15
Grants Implementation Overview
Government Partners
PartnerManagementWeb forms
PartnerManagementWeb forms
CPAinstances
CPAinstances
Local ApplicantCompany
ApplicantAuthority
Proxy SubmissionService Provider
2222
1111
3333
CentralebXMLRegistry
CentralebXMLRegistry
CPAinstances
CPAinstances
System AdministratorsManage PartnerInteractions
4444
XMLStructure
Rules
XMLStructure
Rules
CPAcheckCPA
checkdata
validation
datavalidation
5555Partner transaction authentication
Oracledatabase
Oracledatabase
(Persistent Storage)
TransportebMSserver
TransportebMSserver
MessagesMessages
MessagesMessages
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Service Provider view - single process
Grant Administration
Clinical TrialSystem
AE reporting
Grant applicationAuthoring
Internal Approvals & Workflows
ProtocolAuthoring
Personal Profile and Pub management
Sin
gle U
ser Interface o
r Site
Institution - Service Provider
REGISTRY
eb
XM
L
ebXML
ebXMLHL7
ebXML
ebXML
ebXMLHL7
17
Example: eRA and Grants.gov (Competitive Grants)
Grants.govIntake &
Processing
eRA eXchangeServices
Business ValidationDB Load
Image generation
Validation ResultsNotification
eRA COMMONSInterface
StatusValidation resultsImage Verification
Sign-Off
ERA
Applicant Grants.gov
eRA COMMONS
eRA Exchange eRA eXchangeServices & eRA
Pure EdgeForms
eRA eXchangeIntake
eRA eXchangeXML validation1111
2222
444455556666
3333
download
emailWeb forms interface
ebXML
OPEN /
PLUGGABLE
MONO
CLOSED
SYSTEM
Technology Detail
Components, Specifications and Implementation
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Information Exchange Integration requirements
Outward facing messaging systems
Formal agreement profiles for business participants
Business process workflow definitions
Information exchange rules
Registry to hold agreements, definitions, scripts…
Internal integration routing and dispatch methods
User interfacing for entry and control
20
B2B Exchange Design Goals
Automated registration of participants
Ability to self-certify exchange transactions
Version control and ability to approve partners
Centralized registry for participant management
Declared and shared business rule scripting
Integration through messaging services
Backend application integration services
Uses open public specifications and open source
21
MoU
Nouns
HL7/XML Data
ServicesInternal Applications
Architecture Needs Overview
SQL
DB
Message TransferAuthentication,
Validation, Routing
Registry of Rules
and Agreements
Persistence Queue
Network Infrastructure
XML
Dispatch Handler
Queue Monitor
Integration
Management
Partner
Management
Certs
Certification
Service
Roles
Security
Service
Web service delivery
ebXML delivery
Staged delivery
HL7 support
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Exchange Concurrent Processing Architecture
External
Sender A
Staged Delivery Agent
DownloadQueue
ReceiptAgent(s)
ReceivedQueue
PayloadStagingArea
From: / To: filtering
DispatchAgent
DispatchServices
ProcessQueuing
DeliveryServices
PublishSubscribe
Application
2
3
4
Payload
Requests
Responses
5
6
7
External
Sender B
Notify1
Request /Response
1
Send
PartnerSecurityServices
PartnerSecurityServices
Load Balancing
4
(Pluggable exchanges controlled using Hermes messaging server –using: WSDL, ebMS, AS/2, HL7)
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Example Messaging Hub and B2B components
Researchers
Fellows
Trainees
Clinicians
ResearchAdministratorsApplicants
Grant Administration
Clinical TrialSystem
AE reporting
Grant applicationAuthoring
Internal Approvals & Workflows
ProtocolAuthoring
Personal Profile and Pub management
Grant Management
Internal Workflow
ApplicationReceipt and Review
Population Tracking
eRA PersonalProfile
NLM Pub system
IRB Approvals,Pop Tracking
Sin
gle U
ser Interface o
r Site
eRA
IC
OpDiv
Institution - Service Provider
AE reportingNIH
REGISTRY• Partner Information• Exchg Agreements• Transactions Def• Bus process info• Authorizations
AUDITS• Tracking• Security• Mgmt statistics• Activity reports
NIHSingle Sign On
eXchange ebXMLservices
ebXMLservices
Messag
e Pro
cesso
rs
Messag
e Pro
cesso
rs
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Technical discussion of the eXchange
Exchange context
Exchange components
4 major components eRA eXchange eRA eXchange Client eRA eXchange Services eRA Registry
ebXML
Web services
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Example: Grants.gov interfacing
Era Exchange
Exchange Client
Exchange services
Grants.Gov
1.Get a
pplicatio
n list
3. G
et a
pplic
ation
9. confirm
ation
2. Send pre-notification
5. Request payload
6. Payload delivery
7. Delivery Status
8. Processing status
4. Send notificationOC4J OC4J
Web
serv
ices
ebXML
Staged Delivery
26
OtherNIH Internal Systems
eRA SystemsExchangeServices
eRA eXchange
eRA SAN
eRA eXchange Overview Today
TradingPartnerSystem
Grants.gov
API
eRA-HERMES
PartnerSystem
Interface
eCGAPFormat
HERMESebMS
WSDL
Grants.govWSDL
Tra
ns
ac
tion
Ha
nd
lers
Sta
ge
d D
eliv
ery
Au
tho
rizatio
n re
gis
try
Viru
s C
he
ck
ing
Ma
na
ge
me
nt A
ud
its
Re
po
rting
Va
lida
tion
Se
rvic
e
Ro
utin
g
ebMS Server
eRABus Data
Audits RegistrationebMSClient
Package Handlers Common Services
API
MessageProcessors
HERMESebMS
BusinessApplications
E-Notification
API NLM
HERMESebMS NCRR
NCI ?
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eRA Exchange – Components
Multiple message handlers
Hermes is used to provide messaging services
Grants.gov toolkit – web services for intake
Current CGAP intake, WSDL web services
eXchange Common Services
Validation, virus checking, routing
Authorization
Audits
Leveraging open source solutions
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eRA eXchange “client” (local server)
Based on HERMES
Full service ebMS message handler
Open source, fully distributable
eRA enhancements
Simplified API to send and receive messages
Configured to connect to eRA Exchange Registry interface eXchange interface
2 Step message intake for large payloads
Queues to buffer messages and protect business systems
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eXchange Business Services
Integration with the eRA eXchange client
Message payload processors
Interface with eRA database and business systems
Pluggable XML-driven data persistence
PDF document handling and generation
next – XML-driven versioning and validation
next – Rules engine integration (DROOLS)
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Rule Driven Transaction Handling
Delivery
XML content
XSD schema
Structure validation
2
1
DynamicStructure rules
Structure sub-components with includes allows re-use
TransactionDelivery Handling Match Transaction
Type to Rule-basethrough enveloping
BusinessRules
Rule DrivenError Reporting
Error Logging
Result logging
Email notifications
XML-based error outputting
3 4
PersistRules for SQL
SQL tables
Application
Triggers
6
7
SQL commands
Oracle API
5
8
31
Rule Components
Structure validation
2
DynamicStructure rules
TransactionDelivery
Match TransactionType to Rule-basethrough enveloping
BusinessRules
Rule DrivenError Reporting
Error Logging
Result logging
Email notifications
XML-based error outputting
3 4
PersistRules for SQL
SQL commands
5
Config
CAM
DROOLS
XSLT
X-DB
Single Controlling IntegratedXML Script
Structure
Rules
TableUpdates
ErrorOutput
Transparency
CPApairs
1
2
3
4
5
OpenPublic Specification +Open Source
32
Linkage Between Messaging and CPA
Messaging envelope contains: Sender name
Service / Action names
Sender CPA id value
Receiver CPA id value
Optional certificate CPA validation contains:
CPA id lookup to registry
Verifies sender
Verifies valid Service / Action pairs for this partner
Coupling from Service / Action to transaction validation
Coupling from Service / Action to backend delivery
Verify certificate
33
Role of the Registry for eRA
Trading partner managementRegistration of trading partners with NIH
Authorization to do e-business with NIH Authentication integrated with COMMONS
Simplified management of CPAs
Self service management of SP capabilities & certifications
Metadata managementAll XML schemas for transactions
All trading partner capabilities (including all of NIH services)
Definition of data elements in each transaction
Instructions, documentation, and other
Version management of objects in registry
Timelines
Schedule of Deliverables
35
Automatedprovisioning
eXchange Project Planning
APR MAYOCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR
Grants.gov interfacing
WSDL +Hermes
HermesclientSelf-Installer +Certification
RulesEngine
BusinessSemantics+ Versioning
RegistryIntegration
Metadata +PartnerProfiles
Self-test
2005 2006
2000 GrantApps
Opportunity Summary
Lessons learned; Technology
Metrics
37
Lessons Learned
Providing self-service facilities is key to rapid adoption
Infrastructure exists today off-the-shelf to create pre-built templates for industry domains
Using open specifications allows integration into wide range of environments
Open source solutions allows partners to readily obtain technology
Use of CPA id to manage partners and versioning
38
Technology Metrics
Create infrastructure that can support large communities via registry-managed control mechanisms
Provide simple integration for external partners by providing open source solutions as base-line
Supports commercial tools that implement ebMS V2.0+ and web services
Built-in methods that allow centralized control over rules, versions, and delivery routing
Reasonable security without being overly inhibiting to adoption
Complete integrated audit trail logging
Using existing specifications and toolsets
Proven technology with wide adoption and reference deployments
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Opportunities
Provide infrastructure for application across a broad cross section of related agency and departmental areas: HHS - Cancer Research Centers
CDC – Emergency Alerting systems
Navy – Medical Services coordination
FEMA – Emergency supply chain delivery
DHS – Intra-agency information sharing
EPA – External regulatory reporting
NSF – National Science Foundation Grants
Q & A
Discussion
AC-Technologies
For more information
Visit our Website:
http://www.ac-tech.com
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Project Resources
NIH eRA Project site – http://era.nih.gov
NIH Grants site - http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/
Commons online site – https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/
Grants.gov online site – http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted
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Software Components
Open Source components‘Hermes’ freebXML ebXML messaging server
‘OMAR’ freebXML Registry system
jCAM content assembly mechanism and validation component with versioning capability
Oracle database server
Tomcat Server
Technology Specifications (ISO15000)- http://ebxml.org
- http://oasis-open.org
- http://ebxmlbook.com/interop/
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Technology Resources
www.freebXML.org
www.ebxml.org
www.oasis-open.org
www.ebxmlbook.com/interop
www.ebxmlbook.com/benefits
www.ebxmlforum.org