Discover the key insights and discussion points around Simpl from the Simpl Stakeholder Workshop on 4 July 2024
Introduction
On Thursday 4 July, DG Connect hosted a workshop in Brussels to (re-)introduce Simpl and to share an update about the development and implementation of Simpl. For the first time, an extended group of Simpl stakeholders met to discuss the programme and to provide feedback on milestones such as the Proof of Concept (PoC) for Simpl-Open and Simpl-Labs, and the preliminary results of the Simpl-Live feasibility study (the complete list of topics discussed can be found in the workshop’s deck).
We were glad to see representatives from the Eclipse Foundation, EGI Foundation, GAIA-X, International Data Space Association, and TNO, amongst others; and several European Commission bodies including DG Connect, DG DIGIT and DG GROW. The representatives’ contributions allowed us to look at the Simpl programme through multiple perspectives, and in this article, we will recap some of the topics discussed.
Updates on Simpl-Open
Simpl-Open is the open-source middleware platform at the core of Simpl. During the workshop, the initial baseline and process for identifying and developing the Simpl-Open Requirements was shared. The Requirements describe the functionalities that Simpl will implement and serve as the basis to develop the Simpl-Open Architecture, the open-source code, and its documentation. At the time of the workshop, four business processes (the highest category of Requirements) were available for feedback, and the attendees were able to share their opinions on the level of completeness and detailing.
Following the Requirements, a state-of-play of the Architecture was presented. This included an architecture diagram of a Simpl-Open agent from an individual data space perspective, and a deep-dive into the Onboarding of a data space participant from an Application Solution View, Sequence View, Technology Mapping View, and Platform View. Several points of discussion resulted from the session, including how to achieve interoperability on data space connectors, whether certification is foreseen, and whether there are technologies that can support the concept of data access restriction.
The Requirements and the Architecture came together in the presentation of the Proof of Concept (PoC) of Simpl-Open. For the PoC, three of the eleven identified business processes were presented: Publishing on the Catalogue; Consumers searching the Catalogue; and Onboarding of a data space participant.
During the workshop, Sovereign-X (the Consortium awarded the current contract developing Simpl-Open) presented their proposal for the MVP scope. It aligns with the DSSC’s Toolbox and Blueprint, and builds upon components currently being used by ongoing initiatives in the data space landscape. In proposing the software, several integration issues were considered. Namely, how to improve interoperability between existing initiatives and players; how to achieve coverage towards Industry accepted specifications; and how to foster collaboration during the specifications definition.
Additionally, attendees raised several discussion points that include how to achieve interoperability on data space connectors with Simpl and how to be compatible with already established data spaces that are using different technologies.
More information on these matters will be provided as Simpl development progresses.
Updates on Simpl-Live
Simpl-Live studies the feasibility of deploying the Simpl-Open software stack in identified data spaces funded by the European Commission. During the workshop the first results of the feasibility studies were presented. A panel composed by representatives from the Public Procurement Data Space, the European Open-Source Cloud, and the Smart Communities Data Space discussed their impressions on the feasibility studies and shared suggestions for improvement.
The panel highlighted that the methodology used in the feasibility studies facilitates the identification of the priorities of the Data Spaces' business processes in the context of Simpl-Open and supports the demand-driven development of capabilities and services. Furthermore, although each space has a different focus, several similar interests and needs were identified between the data spaces, which supports the prioritisation of the Simpl-Open requirements.
More information on the Simpl-Live feasibility study will be made available in October 2024.
Updates on Simpl-Labs
Simpl-Labs is the playground environment to test Simpl-Open interoperability. The workshop included an update on Simpl-Labs progress and a presentation of the Simpl-Labs PoC. The team presented a live demo of a data space creation functionality, showcasing an interface that users may use to create their own Simpl instance from a standard template. The live demo was followed by a detailed discussion of three functionalities: dataspace creation, monitoring and conformance testing; and focused on the possibility of including custom components within the setup.
More information on the Simpl-Labs feasibility study and PoC will be provided in January 2025.
Conclusion and How You Can Contribute
The success of the Simpl initiative depends on the active participation and collaboration of stakeholders from across the European data ecosystem and the open-source community. We invite you to share your experiences and feedback with us via email. Your input and expertise will be invaluable in ensuring that Simpl meets the needs of the different stakeholders. Thank you to everyone who attended and for your continued support, and we look forward to building a data-driven future with you.
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