RDN Architecture

Andy Powell

UKOLN, University of Bath

a.powell@ukoln.ac.uk

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/

UKOLN is funded by the Library and Information Commission, the JointInformation Systems Committee of the Higher Education Funding Councils, aswell as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN alsoreceives support from the University of Bath where it is based.

MODELS 9 - Oct 992

Organisational architecture

SOSIG

RDNCRDNC

SOSIGSOSIG

BIOMEBIOME

EMCEMC

Hubs

Centre

• HUMBUL• SciGate• Creative Arts

and Industries• ...

• HUMBUL• SciGate• Creative Arts

and Industries• ...

MODELS 9 - Oct 993

Gateway architecture

SOSIG

Gateways

SOSIG

EMC

BIOME

SOSIG

Biz/Ed

EEVL

OMNI

MODELS 9 - Oct 994

RDNC Broker

SOSIG

SOSIG

EMC

BIOME

RDNC Broker‘ResourceFinder’

MODELS 9 - Oct 995

Hub Brokers

SOSIG

SOSIG

EMC

BIOME

Hub Broker

MODELS 9 - Oct 996

Terminology recap

• hub - an organisation offering various services

• gateway - a resource discovery service offered by a hub - aka, subject gateway

• broker - a proxy that connects to one or more services on behalf of the user. E.g. the RDN ‘ResourceFinder’

• portal - a Z39.50 broker (DNER usage!)

MODELS 9 - Oct 997

Protocols - Z39.50

• gateways MUST support Z39.50• gateways MUST support the Bath Profile• the Bath Profile is...

• new - still under development• DC based• search on sub-set of DC attributes from

Bib-1• results returned using DC/XML (DC

DTD) or DC/SUTRS

MODELS 9 - Oct 998

Protocols - Whois++

• gateways MAY support Whois++• if so, MUST support CIP (for cross-

searching)• strongly encouraged to use registered

Template Types• DOCUMENT and SERVICE templates in

common usage• DUBLINCORE template type may cause

interoperability problems

MODELS 9 - Oct 999

Cataloguing Rules

• need rules to provide consistent record creation across the RDN

• basis for current and future services• enhanced ROADS Cataloguing

Guidelines• Bath Profile guidelines required• need to formulate guidelines in

implementation independent way

MODELS 9 - Oct 9910

Classification

• subject classification across RDN for Keywords (DC.Subject) attribute

• subject specific vs. broad scheme• RDNC ‘TopicFinder’

• thesauri usage• other lists may also be required

• e.g. Category (DC.Type) attribute - ‘this is a learning resource’

MODELS 9 - Oct 9911

Collection Description

• hubs provide many services• RDNC ‘ServiceFinder’...

• a ROADS database of hub service (collection) descriptions

• searchable• currently maintained centrally• move to distributed maintenance by

hubs• basis for selective cross-hub services