Interoperability Oriented Architecture: The Approach of EPOS for Solid Earth e-Infrastructures

EPOS is an e-Infrastructure for solid Earh science in Europe. It integrates many heterogeneous Research Infrastructures (RIs) using a novel approach based on the harmonization of existing service and component interfaces. EPOS is designed to provide an architectural framework for new Research Infrastructures in the domain, and to interface with increasing sophistication of existing RIs working with them in co-development from their present state to a future integrated state. The key is the metadata catalogue based on CERIF which provides the virtualization required for EPOS to provide a homogeneous view over the heterogeneity. Architectural concepts together with a plan for integration and collaboration with EPOS nodes in order to interoperate are presented in this paper.