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Globally Unique IDs (GUID): Difference between revisions
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== Overview == | |||
In collaboration with the community via an open RFC process, iDigBio released a GUID statement regarding GUID usage requirements and effective practices for selecting and assigning GUIDs. Additional questions, comments, definitions, and information were generated pertaining to the GUID statement. That information is contained within this wiki as an appendix and is open for public discussion and enhancement. | In collaboration with the community via an open RFC process, iDigBio released a GUID statement regarding GUID usage requirements and effective practices for selecting and assigning GUIDs. Additional questions, comments, definitions, and information were generated pertaining to the GUID statement. That information is contained within this wiki as an appendix and is open for public discussion and enhancement. | ||
== Object Services to be Provided by iDigBio == | |||
Standard object services include ones that accept an object identifier and produce a webpage for people to learn about the object, a metadata document about the object, or the digital object itself. The iDigBio portal will provide all of these services for the digital objects accessible from the portal. Provider organizations may choose to provide some or all of these services for their objects. | Standard object services include ones that accept an object identifier and produce a webpage for people to learn about the object, a metadata document about the object, or the digital object itself. The iDigBio portal will provide all of these services for the digital objects accessible from the portal. Provider organizations may choose to provide some or all of these services for their objects. | ||
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== iDigBio Proxy Services == | |||
== iDigBio Proxy Services == | The iDigBio portal will be capable of redirecting object service requests to provider services, in order to assist providers in creating and managing both identifiers and object services. The portal will serve as a proxy for the provider. The portal will include a facility for registering URI patterns and service end points. When a proxy request is received, the portal will use standard http capabilities to redirect the request to the provider service. | ||
In the example below, the herbarium collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History has registered a URI pattern with iDigBio. A request for information about the particular digital object is sent by a user to the proxy server at iDigBio. | In the example below, the herbarium collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History has registered a URI pattern with iDigBio. A request for information about the particular digital object is sent by a user to the proxy server at iDigBio. | ||
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http://services.flnmh.ufl.edu/herb/?id=abcd12345678 | http://services.flnmh.ufl.edu/herb/?id=abcd12345678 | ||
== Version management == | |||
Identifiers can be used to represent objects whose content is subject to change. iDigBio intends to provide a service for fetching a particular version of an object by date or version number. If the content of an object changes so much that it can be considered a different object, a different identifier should be attached to the new object. | Identifiers can be used to represent objects whose content is subject to change. iDigBio intends to provide a service for fetching a particular version of an object by date or version number. If the content of an object changes so much that it can be considered a different object, a different identifier should be attached to the new object. | ||
== Darwin Core Triples and Embedding Information in URIs == | == URI Resolution Services == | ||
A service that associates object delivery and metadata services with particular URIs. | |||
== Darwin Core Triples and Embedding Information in URIs == | |||
GBIF has previously relied on the Darwin Core triple of institution code, collection code and catalog number for specimen identification. Unfortunately, these triples have not provided reliable identification of all occurrences over time. GBIF is now advocating identifiers like those described in the iDigBio “Guidelines for Managing Persistent Identifiers” for all data. Darwin core triples can form the basis of persistent identifiers, but must be supported with proper services and curation. | |||
It is important to recognize that embedding information in identifiers creates problems. In particular, people will assume that the presence of an institution code in a specimen identifier, as recommended by iDigBio, means that the specimen is owned by or housed at that institution. We must continue to emphasize to all users that identifiers contain no reliable information. Metadata for an object must be acquired from an object service and not by parsing an identifier. | It is important to recognize that embedding information in identifiers creates problems. In particular, people will assume that the presence of an institution code in a specimen identifier, as recommended by iDigBio, means that the specimen is owned by or housed at that institution. We must continue to emphasize to all users that identifiers contain no reliable information. Metadata for an object must be acquired from an object service and not by parsing an identifier. | ||
The major advantage of embedding information in an identifier is that the service provider can use the embedded information to aid in finding the metadata record for the identifier. However, each provider must maintain information about identifiers that will support finding metadata records when the embedded information is out of date, and reporting on the state of inactive identifiers−those that no longer identify an object. | The major advantage of embedding information in an identifier is that the service provider can use the embedded information to aid in finding the metadata record for the identifier. However, each provider must maintain information about identifiers that will support finding metadata records when the embedded information is out of date, and reporting on the state of inactive identifiers−those that no longer identify an object. | ||