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	<title>RDB2RDF Working Group</title>
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			<li><a href="#scope">Scope</a></li>
			<li><a href="#deliverables">Deliverables</a></li>
			<li><a href="#coordination">Dependencies</a></li>
			<li><a href="#participation">Participation</a></li>
			<li><a href="#communication">Communication</a></li>
			<li><a href="#decisions">Decision Policy</a></li>
			<li><a href="#patentpolicy">Patent Policy</a></li>
			<li><a href="#about">About this Charter</a></li>
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    	<p><a href="http://www.w3.org/" shape="rect"><img alt="W3C" src="http://www.w3.org/Icons/w3c_home" width="72" height="48"></a> <a class="domainlogo" href="http://www.w3.org/TandS/" shape="rect"><img src="http://www.w3.org/Icons/tands" alt="Technology and Society Domain"></a> </p>
		<h1 id="title">RDB2RDF Working Group Charter</h1>
                <b>Revised February 24, 2009</b>
		<p class="mission">
In the last few years there has been increasing interest in mapping Relational data to the Semantic Web.  This is to allow Relational data to be combined with other data on the Web, to add semantics to Relational data and to aid in enterprise data integration.  In October 2007, the W3C organized a workshop on <a href="http://www.w3.org/2007/03/RdfRDB/report">RDF Access to Relational Databases</a>.  This led to the formation of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/">RDB2RDF Incubator Group</a> to explore the area.  This Incubator Group recently concluded its work and produced two deliverables: a <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/RDB2RDF_SurveyReport.pdf">Survey of the State of the Art</a> and a <a href = "http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/XGR/">RDB2RDF XG Final Report</a>.  The <a href = "http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/XGR/">RDB2RDF XG Final Report.</a> recommends that the W3C initiate a Working Group to standardize a language for mapping Relational database schemas to RDF and OWL.  This charter is a follow-up to that recommendation.
</p>
<p>
Consequently, the <strong>mission</strong> of the RDB2RDF Working Group, part of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/">Semantic Web Activity</a>, is to standardize a language for mapping Relational Database schemas into RDF and OWL: the RDB2RDF Mapping Language (R2RML).</p>
<p>The mapping language defined by the WG would facilitate the
development of several types of products. It could be used to translate
Relational data into RDF which could be stored in a triple store. This
is sometimes called Extract-Transform-Load (ETL). Or it could be used
to generate a virtual mapping that could be queried using SPARQL and
the SPARQL translated to SQL queries on the underlying Relational data.
Other products could be layered on top of these capabilities to query
and deliver data in different ways as well as to integrate the data
with other kinds of information on the Semantic Web. The
<a href = "http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/XGR/">RDB2RDF XG Final Report</a> includes several detailed usecases that motivate the mapping language.
</p>

		<div class="noprint"><p class="join">Join the RDB2RDF Working Group.</p></div>
		<table class="summary-table">
			<tbody><tr id="Duration"><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">End date</th><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">30 June 2011 (two years from inception)</td></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Confidentiality</th><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">Proceedings are <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/comm.html#confidentiality-levels" shape="rect">
        public
        </a></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Initial Chairs</th><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><span class="toadd">CHAIR INFO</span></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Initial Team Contacts<br>
        (FTE %: 5 to 10)</th><td rowspan="1" colspan="1"><span class="toadd">TEAM CONTACT INFO</span></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Usual Meeting Schedule</th><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">Teleconferences: Weekly
           <br>Face-to-face:  3-4 per year</td></tr>
		</tbody></table>
		<div class="scope">
			<h2 id="scope">Scope</h2>
      <p>Based on the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/RDB2RDF_SurveyReport.pdf">Survey of Current Approaches for Mapping of Relational Databases to RDF</a> prepared by the RDB2RDF XG and the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/XGR/">RDB2RDF XG Final Report</a> the scope of R2RML is defined as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>The mapping language MUST define the mapping of Relational schemas to RDF and OWL.</li>
<!--
<li>The output of the mapping SHOULD be defined in terms of an RDFS/OWL schema.</li>
-->
	<li>The mapping language SHOULD be complete with regard to the Relational algebra, i.e. all Relational constructs SHOULD be expressible in the language.</li>
<li>The mapping language SHOULD have a human-readable
syntax as well as XML and RDF representations of the syntax for
purposes of discovery and machine generation. </li>
	<li>The mapping language SHOULD be expressed in rules as defined by the W3C <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/rules/wiki/RIF_Working_Group">RIF WG</a>.
The syntax need not follow the RIF syntax but there SHOULD exist a
round-tripable transformation between the mapping language and an RIF dialect.</li>
	<li>It SHOULD be possible to subset the mapping language for
lightweight applications such as Web 2.0 applications. This feature of the language will
be validated by creating a library of mappings for widely used applications
such as Drupal, Wordpress and phpBB. </li>
	<li>The mapping language MUST allow customization with
regard to names and data transformation. In addition the language MUST allow the addition of rules and RDF constraints as part of the mapping.</li>
       <li>The language must
be able to expose vendor specific SQL features such as full-text and
spatial support and vendor-defined datatypes. </li>
	<li>The mapping language specification SHOULD include
guidance with regard to mapping Relational data to a subset of OWL such
as OWL/QL or OWL/RL. </li>
	<li>The mapping language MUST allow for a mechanism to
create identifiers for database entities. The generation of identifiers
should be designed to support the implementation of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/LinkedData.html">linked data principles</a>.
Where possible, the language will encourage the reuse of public
identifiers for long-lived entities such as persons, corporations and
geo-locations.</li>
</ul>
<!--
<p>As described in the final <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/XGR/">RDB2RDF XG report</a>, the WG will take as its starting point the mapping languages developed by <a href="http://www4.wiwiss.fu-berlin.de/bizer/D2RQ/spec/">D2RQ</a> and the
<a href="http://virtuoso.openlinksw.com">Virtuoso</a>
Meta Schema Language (See: http://virtuoso.openlinksw.com/dataspace/dav/wiki/Main/VOSSQL2RDF). </p>
 -->
<p>The <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/rdb2rdf/RDB2RDF_SurveyReport.pdf">Survey of the State of the Art</a> describes several languages and implementations that may be used as starting points for the work of the WG.</p>

	  <h3>Success Criteria</h3>

	  <ul>
	  <li>Timely preparation of the deliverables. See below.</li>
	  <li>At least two conforming implementations of the mapping language, perhaps embedded into products that provide additional functionality.</li>
	  </ul>
	<h3>Out of Scope</h3>

	<ul>
	<li>Mapping from non-Relational data to RDF and OWL.</li>
	<li>Updating the Relational Database based on changes to the RDF or OWL.</li>
	</ul>
      </div>
    </div>

    <div>
      <h2 id="deliverables">Deliverables</h2>

	  <ul>
	  <li>A specification for a language to map Relational schemas to RDF and OWL as a W3C Recommendation.</li>
          <li>A set of test cases to test conformance.</li>
	  </ul>


	  <div class="should" id="ig-other-deliverables">[Recommended information]
	    <h3>Other Deliverables</h3>

	    <p><span class="toadd">[Replace this text] Describe any other deliverables
	    such as test suites, tools, or reviews of other groups'
	    deliverables.</span></p>
	  </div>


	  <h3>Milestones</h3>

	  <p><span class="toadd">[Replace this text] Specification
	  transition estimates and other milestones</span></p>


	    <table class="roadmap" width="80%"><caption>
		Milestones
	      </caption><tfoot><tr><td colspan="7" rowspan="1">Note: The group will document significant changes from this initial schedule on the group home page.</td></tr></tfoot><tbody><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">Specification</th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1"><acronym title="First Working Draft">FPWD</acronym></th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1"><acronym title="Last Call Working Draft">LC</acronym></th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1"><acronym title="Candidate Recommendation">CR</acronym></th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1"><acronym title="Proposed Recommendation">PR</acronym></th><th rowspan="1" colspan="1"><acronym title="Recommendation">Rec</acronym></th></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">FooML</th><td class="WD1" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="LC" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="CR" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="PR" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="REC" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td></tr><tr><th rowspan="1" colspan="1">BarML</th><td class="WD1" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="LC" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="CR" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="PR" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td><td class="REC" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Month YYYY</td></tr></tbody></table>


	  <div class="should">[Recommended information]
	    <h3 id="timeline">Timeline View Summary</h3>

	    <p class="toadd">[Replace this text] Put here a timeline view of <strong>all
	    deliverables</strong>.
	</p>

	    <ul>
			<li>Month YYYY: First teleconference</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: First face-to-face meeting</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: Requirements and Use Cases for the RDB2RDF Mapping Language (R2RML)</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: First Public Working Draft for R2RML</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: First Public Working Draft R2RML Primer</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: R2RML Test Cases</li>
			<li>Month YYYY: R2RML Syntax</li>
		</ul>

	  </div>


    </div>

	<div class="dependencies">
		<h2 id="coordination">Dependencies</h2>
			<h3>W3C Groups</h3>
	<dl>
		<dt><a href="http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/DataAccess/" shape="rect">SPARQL Working Group (DAWG)</a></dt><dd>Track the evolution of SPARQL (updates, etc.).</dd>
		<dt><a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/rules/wiki/RIF_Working_Group" shape="rect">RIF WG</a></dt><dd>Define a dialect of RIF for the mapping language.</dd>
		<dt><a href="http://www.w3.org/2007/OWL/wiki/OWL_Working_Group" shape="rect">OWL WG</a></dt><dd>Track the evolution of OWL2.</dd>
	</dl>

        <div class="should" id="conformance">
          <p>Furthermore, RDB2RDF Working Group expects
          to follow these W3C Recommendations:</p>

          <ul><li><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/qaframe-spec/" shape="rect">QA Framework:
            Specification Guidelines</a>.</li><li><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/charmod/" shape="rect">Character Model for the
            World Wide Web 1.0: Fundamentals</a></li><li><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/webarch/" shape="rect">Architecture of the World
            Wide Web, Volume I</a></li></ul>
        </div>
	<h3>External Groups</h3>
	<dl>
		<dt><a href="http://linkeddata.org/">Linked Data community</a></dt><dd>To support the implementation of the linked data principles.</dd>
		<dt><a href="http://www.okkam.org/">The OKKAM Project</a><dd>The ENS System for assigning reusable identifiers to people, locations, organizations, events, products, etc.</dd>
		<dt><a href="http://neurocommons.org/page/Common_Naming_Project">Neuro Commons Common Naming Project</a></dt><dd>Reusable identifiers for life sciences entities.</dd>
<dt><a href="http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/hcls/">Health Care and Life Sciences Interest Group</a></dt><dd>Health Care and Life Sciences Interest Group</dd>
	</dl>

    </div>

    <div class="participation">
      <h2 id="participation">Participation</h2>


      <p>To be successful, the RDB2RDF Working Group is expected to have 5 or more
active participants for its duration. Effective participation to
RDB2RDF Working Group is expected to consume one work day per week for
each participant; two days per week for editors. The RDB2RDF Working
Group will allocate also the necessary resources for building Test
Suites for each specification.</p>

      <p>Participants are reminded of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2005/10/Process-20051014/groups.html#good-standing" shape="rect">
      Good Standing requirements</a> of the W3C Process.</p>
    </div>

    <div class="communication">
      <h2 id="communication">Communication</h2>


	<p>This group primarily conducts its work on the public
	mailing list <span class="toadd">LIST NAME</span>.


	  <span class="toadd">[Replace this text] Provide information about additional
	  Member-only lists that are used for administrative purposes.</span>

	</p>


      <p>Information about the group (deliverables, participants,
      face-to-face
      meetings, teleconferences, etc.) is
      available from the RDB2RDF Working Group home
      page.</p>
    </div>

    <div class="decisions">

      <h2 id="decisions">Decision Policy</h2>

      <p>As explained in the Process Document (<a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/policies#Consensus" shape="rect">section
      3.3</a>), this group will seek to make decisions when there
      is consensus. When the Chair puts a question and observes
      dissent, after due consideration of different opinions, the
      Chair should record a decision (possibly after a formal vote)
      and any objections, and move on.</p>

      <ul>
	 <li>When deciding a substantive technical issue, the Chair
        may put a question before the group. The Chair must only do
        so during a <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/policies.html#GeneralMeetings" shape="rect">
        group meeting</a>, and at least two-thirds of participants
        in <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/groups.html#good-standing" shape="rect">

        Good Standing</a> must be in attendance. When the Chair
        conducts a <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/policies#Votes" shape="rect">formal
        vote</a> to reach a decision on a substantive technical
        issue, eligible voters may vote on a proposal one of three
        ways: for a proposal, against a proposal, or abstain. For
        the proposal to pass there must be more votes for the
        proposal than against. In case of a tie, the Chair will
        decide the outcome of the proposal.</li><li>This charter is written in accordance with <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/policies#Votes" shape="rect">Section
        3.4, Votes</a> of the W3C Process Document and includes no
        voting procedures beyond what the Process Document
        requires.</li></ul>
    </div>

    <div class="patent">

      <h2 id="patentpolicy">Patent
      Policy


      </h2>


        <p>This Working Group operates under the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Patent-Policy-20040205/" shape="rect">W3C
        Patent Policy</a> (5 February 2004 Version). To promote the
        widest adoption of Web standards, W3C seeks to issue
        Recommendations that can be implemented, according to this
        policy, on a Royalty-Free basis.</p>


        <p>For more information about disclosure obligations for
        this group, please see the <a href="http://www.w3.org/2004/01/pp-impl/" shape="rect">W3C
        Patent Policy Implementation</a>.</p>

    </div>


    <h2 id="about">About this Charter</h2>

    <p>This charter for the RDB2RDF Working Group has been created according to
    <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/groups#GAGeneral" shape="rect">section
    6.2</a> of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process" shape="rect">Process
    Document</a>.   In the event of a
    conflict between this document or the provisions of any charter
    and the W3C Process, the W3C Process shall take precedence.</p>


    <hr>

    <address>
      Ashok Malhotra (Oracle), Michel Hausenblas (DERI)
    </address>

    <p class="copyright"><a rel="Copyright" href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#Copyright" shape="rect">Copyright</a>©
    2009 <a href="http://www.w3.org/" shape="rect"><acronym title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</acronym></a>
    <sup>®</sup> (<a href="http://www.csail.mit.edu/" shape="rect"><acronym title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology">MIT</acronym></a> ,
    <a href="http://www.ercim.org/" shape="rect"><acronym title="European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics">ERCIM</acronym></a>

    , <a href="http://www.keio.ac.jp/" shape="rect">Keio</a>), All Rights
    Reserved.</p>

    <p>$Date: 2009/02/24 23:13:35 $</p>
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