OMEGA-X is assessing the following data space initiatives: GAIA-X, IDSA, FIWARE, and BDVA/DAIRO. The OMEGA-X project proposal states that there is a commitment to be aligned among these initiatives which are part of the DSBA (Data Space Business Alliance). Thus, all four data space initiatives should progressively align on a common framework and on main software building blocks at the technology level.
At this point, OMEGA-X needs to practically engage with the DSBA members towards closing the design phase and, therefore, produce a first working version of the architecture. The following conclusions and way forward summarize this need, concentrating on the identified pieces to be used at each initiative level and the plan for starting the development phase based on that.
- GAIA-X: The alignment with GAIA-X is highly important since it defines the project’s whole architecture framework, which is especially relevant on the implementation level. Looking at the technical convergence document issued by the DSBA, it seems clear that GAIA-X is a prime contributor on the identity, compliance, registry and trust areas.
- OMEGA-X partners will therefore focus their attention in engaging with GAIA-X specially on those topics, looking at the reference implementations, liaising with GAIA-X experts on the topics and participating in GAIA-X meetings to present the outcomes of the implementations achieved.
- In addition, there are other areas where OMEGA-X think GAIA-X could provide a solid baseline, although some other sources are also being studied. This applies for instance to the Federated Catalog, Portal and Data Exchange services. As in the previous case, OMEGA-X members will engage with GAIA-X on those topics, seeking for clarification and also, if that is the outcome of the analysis, implementing the reference modules.
Watch more on GAIA-X this OMEGA-X presentation.
- IDSA: IDSA is also a prime reference in OMEGA-X as per the architecture definition and reference implementation reuse. Assessments showed that for IDSA there is a marketplace available with the IDS App Store. IDSA is also really active at connector level, offering a suite of IDSA certified modules ready to be deployed, including also a testbed where those connectors can interact with other architectural components such as DAPS or the Broker.
- OMEGA-X will focus on the integration of an IDSA (and hopefully also GAIA-X) certified connector for managing the data exchanges and federation. The App Store will be also embedded in the marketplace activities for the project. Therefore, those items are marked in the agenda for liaising with IDSA during this next cycle. As in for GAIA-X, this will be done by looking at the reference implementations, liaising with IDSA experts on the topics and participating in IDSA meetings to present the outcomes of the implementations achieved.
- As other technical implementations and references to be checked, OMEGA-X has flagged the Vocabulary, Broker and Clearing House as potential modules to reuse. In this case, those should be compared and studied in detail including also their counterparts in GAIA-X, to determine the best approach. This way, the engagement expected with IDSA extends also to these items.
Watch more on IDSA in this OMEGA-X presentation.
- FIWARE: Alignment with FIWARE in OMEGA-X is especially relevant for the federated infrastructure part. The IaaS/SaaS vertical platform OMEGA-X plans to develop as complement to the already existing data gathering solutions in the project will be based on FIWARE technology and components.
- Additionally, FIWARE seems to be positioned, as per the technical convergence document of DSBA, also as a marketplace provider. There are some reference implementations regarding this available.
- This way, the agenda for the following cycle will be exploring both lines of work, liaising with FIWARE experts, especially in the framework of the DSBA, to explore the reusability of such implementations in OMEGA-X.
- BDVA/DAIRO: The initiative takes a technology surveillance role and is less focused on architecture frameworks or API interoperability, even though there are efforts regarding a semantic interoperability. BDVA is more focused on large ecosystem developments, e.g. it is connected to the European Commission, and rather values big data businesses. It provides more a catalogue than a marketplace. Thus, OMEGA-X could benefit from use cases, technical contributions, or own data and service marketplaces.
- In summary, BDVA/DAIRO seems to be not offering any potential reusable technologies outside the federated data platforms. The effort will be, thus, focused on that part, and keeping an eye on how to decide to fit also in the technical convergence activities of the DSBA.
A synthesis and comparison of data space initiatives assessments unveils a key point in interoperability.