The schema installation service is provided to assist in the initial configuration and updating of the users system. This service provides the patterns for use in building messages and is provided by industry segment and role within the segment.

If you are in the fruit sector and are a storage facility there are pre defined message types that are used to construct your messages so that they can interoperate with other nodes. These templates also insure that your messages can be used in the EPC Global Network either now or at a later date.

All of the message types are actually XML Schemas (XSD) or RDF Schemas and once selected are used to construct the database tables (if required), map existing data stores to the schemas for harvesting of the data and building the windowing components used in manipulating messages.

The service is accessed by a wizard included in the initial install and provides step by step instructions to complete each task. The user can stop at any point and save the configuration, returning later to finish the task. Once configuration has been completed a process will then make the necessary changes to the node.

The system can also be configured to act as a super peer. This allows users to link several instances of the application into a group all coordinated by the super peer. This can be useful when data going into the system is coming from portable data terminals such as bar code scanners. Using the Mobile Edition on the scanners or other terminals allow these devices to supply information directly to the super peer for building or accessing messages.

In the Project Overview Tutorials section we have a few examples of using both multiple PC installations of the system as well as one that demonstrates using portable wireless devices.

This service also allows for the subscription activation of any or all of the above services.