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Press Release
CNRI Releases its Digital Object Repository
December 30, 2009
Reston, VA — Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) is pleased to announce the release of its Digital Object Repository ("DO Repository") for the management of digital objects on the Internet. This release comes with an open source license and includes an open, flexible, secure and scalable protocol and software suite that provides a common interface for interacting directly with all types of digital objects through an interface that is based on the use of identifiers and can be applied to existing repository or storage systems.
With the software suite, organizations can provide an interoperable interface to individually identified units of information structured as digital objects that exist independently of the storage system, service provider, proprietary technology or protocol. By providing a formal interface through which objects can be securely and reliably accessed, stored and replicated, the system provides a distributed platform for maintaining and preserving digital information.
The DO Repository software provides multiple network interfaces for performing operations on digital objects: the Digital Object Protocol (DOP), HTTP, and DOP-over-TLS (Transport Layer Security, aka SSL). The various interfaces each have their own benefits in terms of security, compatibility with proxy servers, and use of ubiquitous client software. Redundancy is built into DOP, along with strong individual and group authentication. Redundancy is supported by a mirroring system in which each DO Repository communicates with others to ensure that replicated objects are kept in sync. Authentication is based on either secret or public/private keys and X.509 certificates.
For more information about the release, including protocol specification, source code and ready-to-use system, clients and utilities, visit http://www.dorepository.org.
Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) is a not-for-profit organization formed in 1986 to undertake, foster, and promote research in the public interest. Founded by Internet pioneer Dr. Robert E. Kahn, CNRI's activities center around strategic development of network-based information technologies, providing leadership and funding for information infrastructure research and development.
CNRI engages in system and technology demonstration projects in order to further the design and implementation of selected infrastructure components for new computing and communications-based applications. In addition to the DO Repository, and other components of its Digital Object Architecture effort, including the Handle System (http://www.handle.net), CNRI runs the MEMS and Nanotechnology Exchange (http://www.mems-exchange.org), supports research in spoken dialogue systems and other activities in digital libraries, information management technology and associated software development.