ODWIS as a prototype of knowledge service layer in semantic grid

Abstract

As proposed to be an infrastructure of e-Science environment, the Semantic Grid is an evolution of Grid in that it incorporates ontologies as essential ingredients, which is logically structured into a 3-layered architecture from viewpoint of services by its advocates: Computation/Data, Information and Knowledge Service Layer. Based on a Granular Representation Calculus adapted for representing Internet information sources, the authors first presented an Ontology-Driven Web Information System (ODWIS) as a Knowledge Integration model of Web information system, to facilitate complex knowledge retrieval on the Web. The present paper discusses both functional and computational aspects of ODWIS, with open issues left for a full-fledged implementation. Intrinsic with built-in ontologies, ODWIS is a promising candidate of a prototype for Knowledge Layer implementation for Semantic Grid. Feasible approach to building a Semantic Grid can be the integration of extended ODWIS with common grid computing environments built with well-known toolkits. The authors hope such an interdisciplinary topic can be of significance to promote cross cooperation among researchers.