A Scalable Architecture for Harvest-Based Digital Libraries - The ODU/Southampton Experiments

TL;DR

This paper presents a scalable, reliable infrastructure architecture for digital libraries based on OAI, inspired by web service concepts, with prototype implementations demonstrating its applicability.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scalable architecture for digital libraries that integrates web service concepts and supports multiple applications, with prototype validation.

Findings

Prototype implementations demonstrate feasibility

The architecture supports diverse applications

Scalability and reliability are achieved

Abstract

This paper discusses the requirements of current and emerging applications based on the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) and emphasizes the need for a common infrastructure to support them. Inspired by HTTP proxy, cache, gateway and web service concepts, a design for a scalable and reliable infrastructure that aims at satisfying these requirements is presented. Moreover it is shown how various applications can exploit the services included in the proposed infrastructure. The paper concludes by discussing the current status of several prototype implementations.