1. Handle System: DOI Technical Infrastructure Corporation for National Research Initiatives Larry Lannom December 10, 1997

2. Naming Resources on the Net The Problem CNRI 12-10-97 Internet www.acme.com chapter1.pdf http://www.acme.com/chapter1.pdf

3. Naming Service Name = Value(s) 10.123/xyz = http://www.acme.com/chapter1.pdf Naming Resources on the Net The Solution CNRI 10-3-97 Internet http://www.acme.com/chapter1.pdf Internet

4. Naming Service Name = Value(s) 10.123/xyz = http://www.acme2.com/chapter1.pdf Naming Resources on the Net The Solution CNRI 12-10-97 Internet http://www.acme2.com/chapter1.pdf Internet

5. CNRI 12-10-97 CNRI Handle System u Distributed and Scalable u Enforces unique names u Enables association of one or more typed values, e.g., URL, with each name u Optimized for speed and reliability u Provides infrastructure for application domains, e.g., digital libraries, electronic publishing….

6. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle System Initiatives u DOI (Digital Object Identifier) u Library of Congress u NCSTRL (Networked Computer Science Technical Reports Library) u DTIC (Defense Technical Information Center) u USIA (U.S. Information Agency)

7. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Format 10.15678/279dt8 Naming Authority Item ID (any format) Prefix Suffix In use, a Handle is an opaque string.

8. CNRI 12-10-97 Handles Resolve to Typed Data Handle data loc.ndlp.amrlp/123456 URLhttp://www.loc.gov/..... HandleData type RAPloc/repository URLhttp://www.loc2.gov/.. Extensible Data Types XYZ1001110011110

9. CNRI 12-10-97 HS #n HS #n which may be replicated Handle Resolution Client Handle SystemGHS LHS is a collection of Handle Services each of which consists of one or more Handle Servers HS #1 HS #2 HS #3 HS #n http://www.loc.gov/..... loc.ndlp.amrlp/123456 URL http://www.loc2.gov/.....

10. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Clients Handle Resolution Web Browser Handle Administration Handle System GHS LHS GHS LHS

11. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Clients Web Browser Proxy Web Server HTTP Get Resolve Handle Handle Data HTTP Redirect Handle System GHS LHS GHS LHS Handle Administration http://dx.doi.org/10.1015/123456 Handle Resolution

12. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Clients Web Browser Handle Administration Handle System GHS LHS GHS LHS Browser Extension Resolve Handle Handle Data hdl:10.1015/123456 urn:hdl: 10.1015 /123456 Handle Resolution

13. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Clients Web Browser Handle Administration Admin Forms Web Server HTTP Handle Admin API Handle System GHS LHS GHS LHS Handle Resolution

14. CNRI 12-10-97 Handle Clients Handle Resolution Web Browser Handle Administration Handle System Handle Administration embedded in another process Handle Resolution embedded in another process GHS LHS GHS LHS

15. CNRI 12-10-97 Resolution API (Client Library) u Specification u Library of C functions for handle resolution –~ 50 functions, e.g., hdl_get_data, hdl_synch_query –MAN pages with a few examples –Released with a number of testing utilities (char based) –Licensed, but free. u Used by CNRI –proxy server –browser extensions –caching server –various CNRI prototype projects

16. CNRI 12-10-97 Administrative API u Specification u Python implementation –MAN pages with many examples –not yet separately licensed u Used by CNRI –admin web forms –batch input jobs –various custom utilities

17. CNRI 12-10-97 Road Map u Administrative API => C u Simplified interfaces, e.g., fewer parameters u Object Request Broker (ORB) u More utilities

18. CNRI 12-10-97 Handles and WWW Syntax u Handle System is usable from within the WWW, but is not an extension or subset of it u When used as a UR*, Handles will conform to standard UR* syntax u Current clients use hex encoding to carry UR* excluded characters u Handle System compatible with UTF-8 for internationalization

19. CNRI 12-10-97 Open Systems u Open resolution and administrative APIs u Open specifications –www.handle.net, www.doi.org u Local resolution systems