In the midst of global concerns with every change in earth's environmental conditions, working with digitized information which involves actively exchanging huge data between nations, it is clear need for weather forecasting system that can deliver rapid response; handle accordingly is greater than ever now.

National meteorological system faced with the current dilemma, found solution with open-source. Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA) is now updating its third phase of Combined Meteorological Information System project (COMIS-3) with open source platform environment.

Since 1995, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has been developing the national forecaster's analysis system COMIS and from year 2000 its second phase project COMIS-2 focused on developing web based infrastructure. Its latest phase COMIS-3 is restructuring to come up with a standardized web based system that can deliver every facets of information to users.

Solid IT infrastructure, shortcut to accurate digital forecast
With advent of high tech forecasting systems, leading nations are integrating their system to digital forecast, which provides wide variety of observational and numerical model data. Traditional weather forecast usually involves a meteorologist running the show with weather data as a subscript. However, in digital forecast, the forecaster uses grid point resolution model (Ex: GEM-Graphic Editor Module) for depicting more accurate weather imagery of specific location. Grids (or square blocks) are used as a unit indication to each forecasting zones to render specific weather, wind fields etc., soon it will be broken-down into even smaller zones to allow more in depth, accurate local forecasts.

For better part of public forecast service, updated data from this program will be available for use on website for the general public. The data can also be used to help atmospheric research projects.

COMIS system is designed to provide improved weather information, through various weather data and integrated communications. The system is comprised mainly in data collection/distribution, storage, view hit counter. COMIS-3 provides more reliable IT infrastructure for precise digital forecast.

COMIS-3 project is running on total scale of $215 million, 3-year development phases from 2006 to 2008. This year's phase one will include network and securtiy revemping, develop an exclusive systematic information infrastructure using standardized modules and establish fully operational web based weather data center. Second phase in 2007, develop a data ingest structure that includes decoders for all of meteorological data within KMA, automated data (both domestic and abroad) collection and delivery system to prepare an international meteorological broadcasting station. The third and last phase in year 2008, establishing backup and disaster recovery system, basing from Meta data, construct next generation information system WMO system that conforms to international standards.

The first of 3-phases of COMIS-3 is run jointly by LG CNS consortium with 90 blade servers and 86 sets of Linux platform servers. With that as a base, the project includes building terra-size database system with Oracle 10g clustering function and shared networks NAS (Network Attached Storage) to store over 250 Terra bytes of massive weather data to smooth handle collection and distribution which is to be completed by early December.

The schematic diagram of COMIS-3

Why go with open source?
Geebeom Jin, Director General Chief Information Officer in charge of COMIS-3 development project explained, "Within the KMA there exits various systems between each departments. For that reason, we needed to come up with standardized weather information system that is compatible and the open source was an ideal solution to our need. In addition, with regard to more reliable system management, faster security response and future expandability it was the best solution."

Weather related fields require high end computing power where high-tech IT technology was always applied. KMA shied away from relying solely on costly specialty equipments and started using open source clusters in separate phases to continue updating its super computers more effectively.

KMA has benefited in overall system effectiveness with improved weather information service and reduced expenses but it’s particularly more meaningful because we have the open source technology. KMA operated with UNIX based weather systems in past. However thanks to the open source migration, KMA was able to develop new numeric data forecast system using PC clustering technique. This new system was exported Sri Lanka and Mongolia.

Currently, KMA operates over 300 open-source platform servers, super computer and high speed networks where its operation and information is available online; it's a big part of e-government. Upon completion of the COMIS-3 project, KMA plans to further upgrade its services using open source based ubiquitous interactive system for both professionals and general users, one that is more customized to fulfill each requests. The new system is intended to improve emergency weather notification system by providing instant weather information via mobile service to the general public.

Meanwhile, Young-Min You, President & CEO of KIPA(Korea IT Industry Promotion Agency) said, "KMA and its open source adaptation is a success showcase and other administrative departments and corporations too should start to consider the open source as an important element when upgrading to newer system."