CHAPTER 8

Connecting a Search Server

Connecting a search server will make your database searchable. When you make your database searchable, you make your in-house databases and/or catalogues available for remote searching through the Internet within and outside of the CGDI. This chapter:

• Highlights the numerous benefits of making your database searchable;
  
  
• Lists the requirements for connecting a search server; and
  
  
• Explains how to set up a Z39.50 FGDC/GEO search connection.
  
  

8.1 Why Make Your Database Searchable?

There are many benefits to making your data available through the CGDI.

Join one of the largest online geospatial communities

In 2003, there were over 1,200 Canadian and an additional 11,500 international datasets documented with metadata within the GeoConnections Discovery Portal. The GeoConnections Discovery Portal's distributed architecture enables searches of over 140 Canadian databases (over 240 total databases in total) containing millions of products.

If you are providing commercial data or services, additional customers will result in increased revenues. If you are providing data or services for the public good, more of the public will be better served.

Enjoy flexible options for access and delivery of data products and services

When you make your database searchable, users can find web services, individual map sheets, images, reports or any other geospatial product or service. Once users find a resource, links in the product's description can point them to a web site, an online ordering system or download directory. As the supplier, you have total control over these links including how users can access data products or services.

GeoConnections also supports additional access mechanisms, such as those being developed under the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.

You, the supplier, control your own data, at your own site

You maintain total control of both the contents of your data and how users interact with it. You hold the individual data products that you make available through remote searches. You must use your password to modify your metadata information.

8.2 What You Need to Make Your Database Searchable

In order to make your database searchable, the GeoConnections Discovery Portal requires that you complete the following two steps before connecting your database:

1. Register as a user (see Appendix A2.2.3, How to Register and Promote Your Data Product, for full details); and
   
   
2. Register your data product or collection (again, see Appendix A2.2.3). The data product is the database that becomes searchable when you establish a distributed search connection to your database. Users can find your data product or collection, and, through the distributed search connection, search for individual data products in your database.
   
   

Once you have registered as a user and included your data product or collection, you will need a toolkit to connect your databases (or catalogues) to the CGDI. There are several toolkits to choose from, depending on your existing computing environment and your desired method of connection.

8.2.1 Setting Up a Z39.50 FGDC/GEO Search Connection

To set up your Z39.50 FGDC/GEO search connection, follow these 2 steps: