Cyberinfrastructure: an emerging knowledge management platform
| Published date | 26 June 2007 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/03055720710759919 |
| Pages | 126-132 |
| Date | 26 June 2007 |
| Author | Mirghani S. Mohamed |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
ARTICLES
Cyberinfrastructure: an emerging
knowledge management platform
Mirghani S. Mohamed
Information Systems & Services, The George Washington University,
Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The paper seeks to outline the capabilities of cyberinfrastructure (CI) as a new
knowledge-sharing conduit. The article introduces CI properties and parameters that align with KM
concepts and principles. It also describes the utilization of a CI framework in facilitating virtual
enterprises and their communities. Finally, the article outlines the three major challenges in the way of
CI deployment as a knowledge mobilization medium in the public domain.
Design/methodology/approach – The article reviews extensive literature on CI from the approach
of KM principles. It summarizes the relationship between CI and previous network architectures, and
how that contributes to its expected dominance as a new KM platform.
Findings – CI can be regarded as the architecture that narrows the historical gap between KM and
the bivalent logic technologies. This can be attributed to the fact that it adds people and services to
fundamental network components. However, KM practitioners must be cautious in utilizing it to
deploy KM programs. This is due to the inherited binary effects, information overloading, and security
issues surrounding open, inter-operable environments.
Originality/value – This overview consists of useful information on an inventive network
configuration and its appropriateness as a new KM platform.
Keywords Knowledge sharing,Knowledge management, Computernetworks, Virtual organizations
Paper type General review
Introduction
The progression of distributed computing up to the emergence of grid computing in the
mid-1990s emulates social networks in its intent to nurture and mobilize information
and knowledge across global communities. Grid computing synchronizes shared
computer resources that speed the analysis of data, representation of information, and
the assimilation and propagation of knowledge. Owing to the advancements in
technologies, coupled with the convergence of platforms, the concepts of regional hubs,
knowledge oases, knowledge cities and knowledge villages are becoming reality within
the modern collaborative virtual cognosphere. The key requirements for deploying KM
services programs in a semantic grid computing environment has been detailed by
Mohamed et al. (2007) in a complete model with five distinctive strata:
(1) the grid computing layer – this consists of major grid computing components
such as open grid service architecture (OGSA), federated database, and resource
sharing management;
(2) the systems and semantic protocols layer this involves most popular systems
and protocols, such as knowledge taxonomy, ontology, web services, portals,
ERP II, etc.;
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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VINE
37,2
126
VINE: The journal of information and
knowledge management systems
Vol. 37 No. 2, 2007
pp. 126-132
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0305-5728
DOI 10.1108/03055720710759919
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