Modeling & Simulation-Based Data Engineering: Introducing Pragmatics into Ontologies for Net-Centric Information Exchange

By Bernard P. Zeigler and Phillip E Hammonds

Data Engineering has become a necessary and critical activity for business, engineering, and scientific organizations as the move to service oriented architecture and web services moves into full swing. Notably, the US Department of Defense is mandating that all of its agencies and contractors assume a defining presence on the Net-centric Global Information Grid. This book provides the first practical approach to data engineering and modeling, which supports interoperabililty with consumers of the data in a service- oriented architectures (SOAs). Although XML (eXtensible Modeling Language) is the lingua franca for such interoperability, it is not sufficient on its own. The approach in this book addresses critical objectives such as creating a single representation for multiple applications, designing models capable of supporting dynamic processes, and harmonizing legacy data models for web-based co-existence. The approach is based on the System Entity Structure (SES) which is a well-defined structure, methodology, and practical tool with all of the functionality of UML (Unified Modeling Language) and few of the drawbacks. The SES originated in the formal representation of hierarchical simulation models. So it provides an axiomatic formalism that enables automating the development of XML dtds and schemas, composition and decomposition of large data models, and analysis of commonality among structures. Zeigler and Hammond include a range of features to benefit their readers. Natural language, graphical and XML forms of SES specification are employed to allow mapping of legacy meta-data. Real world examples and case studies provide insight into data engineering and test evaluation in various application domains. Comparative information is provided on concepts of ontologies, modeling and simulation, introductory linguistic background, and support options enable programmers to work with advanced tools in the area. The website of the Arizona Center for Integrative Modeling and Simulation, co-founded by Zeigler in 2001, provides links to downloadable software to accompany the book.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0123725151
• ISBN13: 9780123725158
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

New insights

It is often the case that a new area of inquiry, comprised of elements from seemingly disparate disciplines, yields surprising insights. Zeigler's and Hammonds's effort is no exception. While linguistics has from time to time informed mathematics and computer science, to my knowledge little has been done to date towards the application of semantics and pragmatics to this type of data exchange. The prose is concise, clear,...

This is the theoretical and pragmatic foundation...

This book offers to the reader a thick and consistent theoretical background for dealing with ontologies (i.e., languages for describing "a state of the world".) Both authors merged very carefully their knowledge and disciplines [social and computer (engineering) sciences] in a complete and homogeneous framework. In the new research area of computer-based problems, dealing with complex systems induces increasing efforts for...

Excellent approach for advanced modeling and its application to net-centric environments

Addressing the compatibility issues raised in sharing data between collaborative organizations that employ different approaches to representing data becomes a major concern in today's net-centric computing environment. Effective information exchange requires not only an agreement on the syntax and semantics to be established between data producers and consumers, but also a common understanding of the pragmatics, namely the...

rigorous and novel methods and framework approach to solve data harmonization and ontology integrati

For those who are working on complex problems of data interoperability and reuse of data sources in distributed environment, especially GIG/SOA, this book provides rigorous and novel methods and framework approach to solve data harmonization and ontology integration problems effectively. The authors present the pragmatic frame concepts, ontologies, System Entity Structure (SES) framework, and modeling and simulation based...