Interoperability

General
Interoperability refers to the ability of a computer system and/or data to work with other systems or data using common standards or processes. It enables integration, effective cooperation, and two-way communication among the many interconnected elements. Effective interoperability is built on a unifying framework of interfaces, protocols, and the other consensus standards.

Smart grid
Interoperability is

"the capability of two or more networks, systems, devices, applications, or components to share and readily use information securely and effectively with little or no inconvenience to the user. GridWise Architecture Council, Interoperability Path Forward Whitepaper (Nov. 30, 2005) (full-text)."

Types of interoperability
There are three types of interoperability:


 * Technical Interoperability – The ability for different technologies to communicate and exchange data based upon well-defined and widely-adopted interface standards.
 * Semantic Interoperability – The ability of each end-point to communicate data and have the receiving party understand the message in the sense intended by the sending party.
 * Policy Interoperability – Common business policies and processes (e.g., identity proofing and identity vetting) related to the transmission, receipt, and acceptance of data between systems, which a legal framework supports.

Data mining
Interoperability of databases and software is important to enable the search and analysis of multiple databases simultaneously, and to help ensure the compatibility of data mining activities. Data mining projects that are trying to take advantage of existing legacy databases or that are initiating first-time collaborative efforts with other organizations may experience interoperability problems. Similarly, as organizations move forward with the creation of new databases and information sharing efforts, they will need to address interoperability issues during their planning stages to better ensure the effectiveness of their data mining projects.

Security
Interoperability is:


 * 1) "[t]he capability of two or more networks, systems, devices, applications, or components to exchange and readily use information &mdash; securely, effectively, and with little or no inconvenience to the user."
 * 2) "[t]he ability of independent implementations of systems, devices, applications, or components to be used interchangeably."

Smart grid
Interoperability is the capability of two or more networks, systems, devices, applications, or components to exchange and readily use information &mdash; securely, effectively, and with little or no inconvenience to the user. The Smart Grid will be a system of interoperable systems. That is, different systems will be able to exchange meaningful, actionable information. The systems will share a common meaning of the exchanged information, and this information will elicit agreed-upon types of response. The reliability, fidelity, and security of information exchanges between and among Smart Grid systems must achieve requisite performance levels.