More PHGrid Architecture

On Monday, February 9th, GB held a session to discuss review the progress of the PHIN-SRM proof of concept project and potential GAARDS-related PoC next steps. During this meeting he requested an enterprise architecture review of how PHGrid will look and what components are necessary for deploying services throughout a grid to benefit public health informatics.

Over the past three weeks, Moses (PHIN contractor), Vaughn (PHINMS contractor), Charlie (PHIN-SRM contractor) and I (PHGrid contractor) have met to draft an initial release of four diagrams that seek to address this need for an architecture. Our goal was to create an architecture that is meaningful to business stewards, project managers, architects and developers. Statistician George Box once said "All models are wrong; some models are useful". This set of diagrams is meant to be useful.

All four models are available on the wiki at: http://sites.google.com/site/phgrid/Home/phgridarchitecture.

PHGrid Architecture - This model shows the basic components of the PHGrid and where they fit with CDC's partner structure. Some components must be hosted at the CDC (such as CDC application data), some components must be hosted by our partners (such as State application data) and some component lie in between (collaboration portals, registries, etc.).




PHGrid Service Stack- This model shows the services available within a specific node. It is separated into a small list of program services that different partners may wish to install and infrastructure services that are required for minimal functionality.


PHGrid Node Functional Deployment- This model shows the software components within a specific node.


PHGrid Roadmap- This model is perhaps the most arbitrary as it requires more input from the relevant program and system stewards. It attempts to show a timeline for how the services, components and infrastructure can be built out. Each timeline is marked with what has been completed or is currently in progress and show the required dependencies. To the right of this marker are the items that require prioritization based on your decisions. For example, along the Infrastructure Timeline,



Please post your feedback on these models and how we can change and improve them. Based on the feedback gathered in response to this email I may schedule a time for us all to meet again and review potential next steps.


Here is the visio in case anyone would like to submit their comments within the models.