Several state environmental agencies received a 2008 Exchange Network grant from U.S EPA to procure an open source 2.0 Node that is freely available for any Exchange Network partner. The project partners have now released OpenNode2 to the Exchange Network community. This solution fully supports both the Exchange Network Node Specifications version 1.1 and the latest Exchange Network Node Specifications version 2.1. It is available for both .Net and Java platforms and includes plug-ins for a number of common data exchanges used by Exchange Network partners.
Download OpenNode2
OpenNode2 and its source code and documentation are offered as free downloads. Just click here to begin. All files are hosted on Google Code. You do not need a Google account to download the product, the code, or any documentation. However, if you wish to contribute any comments you will need to login with an existing Google account or create a new one for free. Just follow the prompts.
OpenNode includes a number of data flow plug-ins that make it easier than ever to implement many common data exchanges. The OpenNode2 Downloads page has links to all of the existing plug-ins along with installation instructions.
Other OpenNode2 Data Flow Development Tools
If the existing data flow plug-ins don’t meet your needs, you can create your own plug-ins using a tool designed to work with Altova’s MapForce product. (Please note that this requires the user to purchase a license for MapForce from Altova.) Learn more about how to download and use the OpenNode2 MapForce Bridge to start creating your own customized data flows.
The Exchange Network hosted an open conference call on the MapForce Bridge tool in July 2009. Slides from the call are available here. You can find the MapForce Bridge and tutorial on the OpenNode2 download page.
OpenNode2 Project Partners
The project partners include:
- New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) – Lead State
- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MI DEQ)
- Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MS DEQ)
- Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NE DEQ)
- Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (OK DEQ)
- Washington Department of Ecology (WA DoE)
- Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
Project Objectives
The project partners set out to make available Exchange Network Nodes that will: 1) comply with the Node 2.0 technical specification; 2) provide robust administrative functionality; and 3) be made freely available to other Exchange Network partners. The team has produced both a .NET and a Java Node to maximize opportunities for reuse. The Nodes include features such as:
- Support for both the Node 2.0 and Node 1.1 Protocol and Specification;
- A Node installation package;
- Full documentation on the Node, including system requirements, user’s guide, and installation instructions;
- The ability to configure Exchange Network and other data flows for use on either the .NET or Java version;
- Support for SQL and Oracle backend staging databases;
- A web-based Node Administration application; and
- Tools to allow users to easily configure and implement Exchange Network and other data flows.
Product Support
All are welcome to download and use OpenNode2. The product includes robust documentation to assist with installation and administration. The product does not include free installation or administration support. Users of the product are responsible for procuring their own assistance for installing or using the product. The product and its source code are fully documented so the choice of support contractors (if necessary) is yours. Please note that the Product Download page does include a wiki and an issue tracker to allow members of the Network community to post questions, interact, and provide each other with assistance. The project partners encourage everyone who uses OpenNode2 to contribute to the wiki and share your experiences and issues so the Exchange Network community can fully leverage its collective knowledge.
Open Call on OpenNode2
Slides from an October 2009 NTG Open Call on OpenNode2 are available here. A recording of the webinar is also available.