Getting Started Guide for IT Professionals

This guide is intended for IT Professionals who are implementing their first Exchange Network solution.

Step 1: Review Exchange Network Documentation

The following documents are critical for gaining a thorough understanding of the Exchange Network.

  • Network Node Functional Specifications: Essential technical document that defines the service interface and usage expectations for all Exchange Network web services.
  • Exchange Network Protocol: Considered a supplement to the Specifications document, the Protocol defines additional useful information.
  • Data Exchange Documentation: If you will be implementing a particular Data Exchange, review the existing documentation on that Exchange’s page, including:
    • Flow Configuration Documents (FCD): Basically a design document for the data exchange, these documents define the specific web service implementations and business logic for the data exchange.
    • Data Exchange Templates (DET): These documents describe the individual data elements exchanged for a particular data exchange.
    • XML Schema: Each data flow has one or more XML schema that define the structure and data types for XML to be exchanged for a particular data exchange

Step 2: Take Advantage of Existing Software/Tools

Participation in the Exchange Network can either mean that (1) you are a service provider, typically publishing data, or (2) you will be solely acting as a client to existing service providers.  Participants who will be a service provider need node software, whereas those whose participation only means interacting with other existing service providers can use other “Node-Client” tools. The following document (Nodes vs. Clients does a good job describing this distinction if you need more clarification.

  • Node Software: Several high-quality open source Node Software solutions have already been developed. While developers still have the option of building their own, it is highly recommended that developers download existing implementations.
  • Network Client Software: If you want to install and host your own Network Client software (also known as Node Clients), some Node Software Packages come bundled with Node Client software. But there are some Node Clients already installed that you can use.
    • EPA Services Center: Useful when you need to act as a Node Client (i.e. to submit data) to EPA’s Node
    • EN Browser: Useful when you only need to retrieve data from another node.

Step 3: Building Your Solution

If you are simply implementing an existing Data Exchange, follow the instructions providing in the Data Exchange section.

If you are designing a new data exchange please follow the instructions listed here.