DSpace and the CNRI Handle Tool to redirect Handles?

[al...@vt.edu]

The conversation,  https://groups.google.com/g/dspace-tech/c/mB0CnC6Hh8M/m/QUreQRDHAwAJ, indicates that DSpace doesn't actually contain a Handle server, just the Handle resolver plugin. However, DSpace 6.x Documentation - Installing DSpace - The Handle Server, states that it is possible to install a separate Handle server and then install the Handle resolver plugin to it.

If one does install a separate Handle server, is it then possible to use the Handle Tool (part of the CNRI software), PDF, page 14, to redirect Handles with this server? In our case we want to redirect Handles of deleted items, etc. I would anyone's experience with this Handle Tool.

Thanks,

Anne Lawrence

VTechWorks

https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/

[Mark H. Wood]

On Tue, Feb 16, 2021 at 08:15:27AM -0800, al...@vt.edu wrote:
> The conversation,
> https://groups.google.com/g/dspace-tech/c/mB0CnC6Hh8M/m/QUreQRDHAwAJ,
> <https://groups.google.com/g/dspace-tech/c/mB0CnC6Hh8M/m/JYs33TYoAAAJ>

> indicates that DSpace doesn't actually contain a Handle server, just the
> Handle resolver plugin. However, DSpace 6.x Documentation - Installing
> DSpace - The Handle Server

> <https://wiki.lyrasis.org/display/DSDOC6x/Installing+DSpace#InstallingDSpace-TheHandleServer,>,

> states that it is possible to install a separate Handle server and then
> install the Handle resolver plugin to it.
>
> If one does install a separate Handle server, is it then possible to use
> the Handle Tool (part of the CNRI software), PDF, page 14

> <http://www.handle.net/tech_manual/HandleTool_Ver2.pdf>, to redirect

> Handles with this server? In our case we want to redirect Handles of
> deleted items, etc. I would anyone's experience with this Handle Tool.

I don't have a direct answer but I can supply some background.

DSpace provides the database for the instance of Handle server that it
uses. DSpace code includes a database back-end for the Handle server
which implements only the functions that are needed for the Handle
server to resolve Handles out of DSpace's 'handle' table. I haven't
looked at the code for a while, but I think it likely that any attempt
to modify the database through the Handle server would fail. DSpace
makes all Handle modifications directly in its own database and does
not use the Handle server at all.

I haven't looked into what would be involved in upgrading the back-end
to full functionality for the Handle server, or whether DSpace would
need modifications to cope with the possibility that something else is
modifying the Handle table.

There is a remote-Handle-server plugin that lets the Handle server
query DSpace rather than go directly to the shared DBMS. I think it
is for a special situation in which direct access to the DBMS host
from the Handle server host was forbidden by local policy. I don't
think this will be any more (or less) useful in your case than the
other way.

For some time now I have wished to find time to reverse this situation
and (optionally?) make DSpace call out to a 100% stock Handle server
for all Handle creation, resolution, update and delete operations, as
the other IdentifierProvider implementations do. That would free us
from these peculiarities of the current custom back-end.

--
Mark H. Wood
Lead Technology Analyst

University Library
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
755 W. Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-274-0749
www.ulib.iupui.edu

[al...@vt.edu]

Mark,

Thank you very much for explaining the limitations of current Handle server implementation in DSpace and for your wish to provide a fuller-featured implementation.

Best wishes,

Anne