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The architecture representation consists of six layers: from data sources (bottom) to queries. A big focus of the IDRT are the lower three layers: extracting and transforming data from a variety of data sources and storing them in the i2b2 database with the import module of the IDRT Import and Mapping Tool (IMT). Although all the data at this staging layer is already “i2b2 ready”, the mapping and loading layer, representing the Mapping Tool of IMT, enables modification of the data and i2b2 ontologies for a better user experience at the queries layer. Underlying this data driven architecture is the i2b2 Wizard (not in representation) for installation and configuration of i2b2 installations. On top of the queries layer is the IDRT Webclient Web Client Plugin.

ETL (extraction, transformation and loading)

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With ETL being a dominating part of the distributed development of the IDRT, a data integration software was used. The Open Source software Talend Open Studio for Data Integration gives the user access to a multitude of import/export components. These can be stringed together with data manipulation components to an ETL “job” in a visual interface. Talend Open Studio is a code generator that automatically converts these jobs to Java code, which can be run even outside the design software.