GridVine: Building Internet-Scale Semantic Overlay Networks sounds like they are dealing with topic map like issues to me. You be the judge:
This paper addresses the problem of building scalable semantic overlay networks. Our approach follows the principle of data independence by separating a logical layer, the semantic overlay for managing and mapping data and metadata schemas, from a physical layer consisting of a structured peer-to-peer overlay network for efficient routing of messages. The physical layer is used to implement various functions at the logical layer, including attribute-based search, schema management and schema mapping management. The separation of a physical from a logical layer allows us to process logical operations in the semantic overlay using different physical execution strategies. In particular we identify iterative and recursive strategies for the traversal of semantic overlay networks as two important alternatives. At the logical layer we support semantic interoperability through schema inheritance and semantic gossiping. Thus our system provides a complete solution to the implementation of semantic overlay networks supporting both scalability and interoperability.
The concept of “semantic gossiping” enables semantic similarity to be established the combination of local mappings, that is by adding the mappings together. (Similar to the set behavior of subject identifiers/locators in the TMDM. That is to say if you merge two topic maps, any additional subject identifiers, previously unknown to the first topic map, with enable those topics to merge with topics in later merges where previously they may not have.)
Open Question: If everyone concedes that:
- we live in a heterogeneous world
- we have stored vast amounts of heterogeneous data
- we are going to continue to create/store even vaster amounts of heterogeneous data
- we keep maintaining and creating more heterogeneous data structures to store our heterogeneous data
If every starting point is heterogeneous, shouldn’t heterogeneous solutions be the goal?
Such as supporting heterogeneous mapping technologies? (Granting there will also be a limit to those supported at any one time but it should be possible to extend to embrace others.)
Author Bibliographies: