Bronze Compatibility Certification

Introduction

The cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG™) is an NCI sponsored, voluntary network of biomedical researchers who are dedicated to creating interoperable software and data sets in a federated development environment. In order to provide true interoperability, that is, the ability to both access and use data from a remote data resource, caBIG™ provides a set of compatibility guidelines that provides detailed guidance on how to build a software system that will interoperate within the caBIG™ framework. These guidelines cover computational interfaces and the semantic description of a data system.

The caBIG™ community recognizes that interoperability is not an all or nothing process, that software systems can exist along a continuum of interoperability levels. The caBIG™ compatibility guidelines therefore stratify systems into four classes. Legacy systems are not interoperable; Bronze, Silver, and Gold indicate an increasing standard of system interoperability. For each level of compatibility there are increasingly stringent requirements for each of the four functional areas of compatibility (interface integration, information models, vocabularies/terminologies and ontologies, and data elements).

Software systems funded by caBIG™ are formally reviewed by the caBIG™ cross-cutting workspaces for compatibility level. Software that is not developed under the auspices of the caBIG™ program does not qualify for such reviews. For this reason, the National Cancer Institute Center for Bioinformatics (NCICB), in cooperation with the NCI Technology Transfer Branch has created the caBIG™ Bronze Compatibility Certification Program. Products that successfully complete the Bronze compatibility review will be licensed to use the caBIG™ trademark. This service is currently free for both commercial and non-commercial software systems. Questions on the process can be directed to the NCICB help desk at ncicb@pop.nci.nih.gov.

Overview of the Program

The caBIG™ Bronze certification program is designed as a verified self-assessment. A developer that wishes to test whether their product has achieved Bronze level compatibility would provide specific documentation demonstrating that their product has met the requirements in the four areas of caBIG™ compatibility. The required documentation and process is described in detail in the companion document caBIG™ Bronze Submission Requirements. Once the package is received at the NCICB, it will be reviewed for completeness, and the submitter will receive the Submission Package Checklist that indicates that the package is complete or lists any missing documentation. After a complete package is received, it is reviewed by the NCICB. If the product is deemed to meet the compatibility requirements, a license to declare the product "caBIG™ Bronze Compatible" is granted. If the product is determined not to meet the compatibility requirements, the NCI will provide feedback to the developer to assist the developer in achieving Bronze compatibility.

Description and Specific Requirements

• Overview of Bronze Compatibility Certification Process
• caBIG™ Bronze Submission Requirements
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Bronze Certification Process

Bronze Compatible Products