Collector

The Collector component performs the "Publish” function for information sources that do not directly publish using the ISS API.  These include repositories such as databases and file sets which may contain "new" information suitable for distribution.

The Collector "reaches out" to acquire information on a scheduled or on-demand basis.  It connects to the data source through an appropriate Adapter module, and performs the necessary data extraction and interpretation to form an XML data package. The information in XML format is then pushed to the ISS Semantic Engine for further processing.

The Collector functions with any data package that contains adequate context and data to allow its transformation to an Information Object.  In most cases, data packages that are already in use with existing applications have the content needed to form a "natural transaction", such as Purchase Order, Invoice, or Personnel Action.  A "natural transaction" contains all the information needed to fulfill its business purpose and within that business context has a precise interpretation.  This makes it an ideal candidate for representation as an Information Object which includes both the data and context relating to the transaction.

The Collector is designed to acquire information from existing applications systems without affecting them in any way.  Information gathered by the Collector is often viewed as an "information copy" of the active data processed within the application itself.  As a byproduct of the collection function, the Collector can optionally move, delete, or mark the source items as “processed” to prevent duplicate publication.