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research.microsoft.com [RMC] Open Data [OData]

October 2011 | frank martinez

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What is Open Data [OData]?

• From the odata.org site:The Open Data Protocol (OData) is a Web protocol for querying and updating data that provides a way to unlock your data and free it from silos that exist in applications today. OData does this by applying and building upon Web technologies such as HTTP, AtomPub and JSON to provide access to information from a variety of applications, services, and stores.

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research.microsoft.com [RMC]

• RMC is the web site for Microsoft Research [MSR]

• MSR teams publish publications, videos, projects, downloads and other assets to RMC daily/weekly/monthly

• RMC site is derived from a custom web CMS platform built by MSR, for MSR

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What is RMC OData?

• Queryable version of RMC assets, produced in the OData protocol

• In the OData context, RMC data is the metadata about the assets currently published on research.microsoft.com, such as publications, videos, projects, and downloads

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Why did we create RMC OData?

• MSR teams and partners [both Microsoft and external] often request access to RMC data which they want to integrate with their own web applications; solution not available

• RMC OData now hosted separately from RMC at odata.research.microsoft.com

• Enables teams to query RMC data in their web apps; isolates research.microsoft.com from query load and other side effects [if research.microsoft.com were used as an OData publisher]

• OData has the benefit of not being proprietary; expanding community of code contributions, rich tool and viewer support [Excel, Silverlight…]

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Microsoft’s OData Info• From the Data Developer Center:

Customers have consistently given us feedback that we need to take what is already a standards-based approach and open it even further. We are excited about the many clients and services that use this protocol and look forward working with the community on it. We intend on working with others in the community to move the features of OData into future version of AtomPub or other appropriate standards.

• Resources from the OData Team Blog:– Sample data– Data explorer app– Data service provider toolkit– Validation tool– Services available today [like Netflix]

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Current Status

• odata.research.microsoft.com/odata.svc/ now live; being tested with partners

• App samples, demos from partners [consumers of RMC OData] in development

• Potential mashups:– Translation– Geo– Social

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Demos

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More Info

• RMC OData FAQ:– http://odata.research.microsoft.com/FAQ.aspx

• Contact:– frank.martinez@microsoft.com

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Appendix

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RMC OData in Atom

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RMC OData in Feeder Reader