SODAS: Smart Open Data as a Service for Improving Interconnectivity and Data Usability

Abstract

In this study, we proposed Smart Open Data as a Service (SODAS) as a new open data platform based on the international standards Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT) and Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network (CKAN) to facilitate the release and sharing of data. We first analyze the five problems in the legacy CKAN and then draw up corresponding solutions through three core strategies: CKAN expansion, DCATv2 support, and extendable DataMap. We then define four components and nine function blocks of SODAS for each core strategy. As a result, SODAS drives Open Data Portal, Open Data Reference Model, DataMap Publisher, and Analytics and Development Environment (ADE) Provisioning for connecting the defined function blocks. We confirm that each function works correctly through the SODAS Web portal, and then we apply SODAS to actual data distribution sites to prove its efficiency and practical use. SODAS is the first open data platform that provides secure interoperability between heterogeneous platforms based on international standards, and it enables domain-free data management with flexible metadata.