The article was originally published on 05/29/2020 and was updated on 01/16/2025
When working on mission-critical systems, minor data errors can have a major negative impact on the design of the software or product, the decision-making process, and customer retention. A simple error has the power to impact all domains of the engineering lifecycle, from design to requirements management to test management. Sorting through all the data collected and syncing it with existing tooling while trying to maintain data integrity and quality can be a tedious process.
To our great credit, both tools and engineering processes have changed - opening new ways to perform complete tool interoperability and data access across the engineering domains. Tools are now shared repositories and processes are more agile and dynamic. This means the idea of interoperability can no longer be founded on the ability to exchange information, but rather present dynamic information, files, and folders as it is available by linking data and not synchronizing it between systems.
In this article, we'll review the fundamental principles and differences between these two approaches and demonstrate why linked data is a greater source of value than data synchronization when exchanging data between different applications.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definition of Data Synchronization
Linked data in practice: the concept of OSLC
SodiusWillert’s Linked Data solutions
Definition of Data Synchronization
When integrating tools, the synchronization of data implies that two or more replicas of information are transported from one data repository to another on a periodical basis. The synchronization of data can help resolve problems with manually copying data, such as ensuring the correct value is entered into the target repository, and that the value is up-to-date from a known moment in time.
Integration solutions leveraging data synchronization usually involve a 3rd-party application that resides between the two repositories and is set up to know how to map between fields as well as the frequency of synchronization. Synchronization engines are typically strongly tied to the applications being connected, meaning that synchronization between Tool A and Tool B cannot be used to synchronize data between Tool B and Tool C.
The Limits with Data Synchronization
We have to admit that data synch solutions have played a key role in maintaining a certain level of data accuracy, breaking down team silos, ensuring availability, and undoubtedly improving business performance and decision-making. However great they are, sync data solutions replicate data from one system to another and this raises concerns about:
➡️ Data ValidityGroups of engineers have different sets of tools, so they often copy information to different repositories. But copies and replication of information in multiple places can have very negative effects. In fact, copies get out of date over time, they decay in the quality of the information. We don’t know anymore what (or who) was the source (golden source) of the information. Also, the accuracy of information depends on how often information is synchronized - when was the last time that information was synchronized?
➡️ Data SecurityWhen we copy data, we lose the ability to enforce our security model on the data. Any access controls such as authentication we had for the original data must be replicated in all of the target systems to ensure that only authorized users have access. With the complexity of access control rules and the size of the user models, it is impossible to monitor that the correct access is given to all users in all repositories where data is copied - especially if access controls are changed after the initial copy. In addition, it becomes impossible to perform audits of all access to a piece of data as that data is moved across repositories, as frequently required in defense and other high-security environments.
Definition of Linked Data
Linked Data is an approach that allows structured data from different sources to be queried and connected. Tools integrated using linked data inherently share the most recent and accurate data. Unlike data synchronization, the linked data approach does not require a 3rd-party application to make the connection between tools.
Linked data allows data to be directed to the source of information, the latest updated and accurate information. Linked tools are inherently sharing the most recent and accurate data. The target application or repository does not have a copy of the data source, but rather a pointer to the information in the owning repository. There are no synchronization issues or obsolete information when using linked data technologies.
How Does Linked Data Work?
With linked data, the true creator of the information remains the owner of it. The consumers can simply link to the updated information. And above all, it eliminates uncontrolled copies.
Linking enables keeping the information where it was originally created. It allows the source repository to validate user permissions before sharing the data, thus respecting the audit and security requirements. Finally linking ensures that the data is up-to-date. When a consumer requests the data, the actual data in the target repository is read, meaning that it is the current value for that piece of information - always.
Linked data in practice: the concept of OSLC
The internet was built on the ability to link information across servers. Using the fundamental standards that drove the growth of the internet, yet adding additional capabilities to structure how to link information and adding more semantic information, we can link engineering data across repositories. The open standard driving this interoperability is called OSLC - Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration.
Using the OSLC standard, we can define which repositories can connect, the type of engineering data exposed or consumed, and a common format for the exchange of engineering data.
What OSLC brings us is not only the ability to link the data but also to do it in a standardized way that is independent of the endpoints. Therefore, an application can implement OSLC interfaces once and can link data across all other OSLC-compatible applications, without the need to write a new interface.
CONCLUSION
With products being more complex and embedding technology like never before, the use and need for engineering data has drastically increased over the past years and has led to an unprecedented supply of data to manage securely.
It’s a known fact, that engineering data needs to move forward, backward, and across the engineering lifecycle through Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems from conception and design to engineering and customer delivery. This use of a massive amount of engineering data has accentuated the importance of data accuracy, consistency, and availability across engineering domains. Therefore, the concepts of linked data and OSLC represent a giant leap for managing data across the engineering lifecycle.
Linked Data guarantees real-time access to accurate information, bringing data consistency and accuracy to a new level. It improves interoperability and efficiency by enabling data to be shared seamlessly between different tools and systems while guaranteeing data security by maintaining it in its original repository. Furthermore, this approach facilitates collaboration and scalability, making it easier to manage complex engineering projects.
SodiusWillert’s Linked Data Solutions
At SodiusWillert, linking data has been a core practice of our tools for years. Our unique approach consists of linking tools, repositories, and configurations. This was the natural step we took several years ago, as we evolved out of the practice of synchronization and exchange.
SodiusWillert's OSLC Connectors family seamlessly connects your data to allow engineering teams to optimize visibility across the engineering lifecycle. With OSLC Connect, it is now possible to easily link your engineering repositories between your favorite engineering tooling and guarantee that everyone is using accurate information across your engineering teams.
Following the specifications defined by OSLC, SodiusWillert provides OSLC-compliant connectors that enable the integration of disconnected development applications in engineering organizations. Our OSLC Connect product range answers the needs of engineering organizations to make engineering data available to systems and software development teams to accelerate development projects.
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