DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

http://www.desire.org/

DESIRE

Terena Networking Conference - Dresden 1998

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Why DESIRE ?

The technology of the World Wide Web is now widely-deployed to provide on-line information services. In applying that technology to large-scale, distributed information services to serve the goals of research users some interesting challenges emerge to which no off-the-shelf solutions yet exist.

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Researchers

Exacting requirements– comprehensive survey and search– quality– speed and cost– review– reliable and repeatable

Expectations of technology

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

DESIRE background

The WWW is increasingly used as a means of co-ordinating and publishing research data … … and of locating it ??

Existing WWW services fail to meet the needs of researchers

DESIRE seeks to maximise the potential of the WWW for– end-users of research data – information providers

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

DESIRE 1

Development of a European Service for

Information on Research and

Education

Jan 1996 - Mar 1998

http://www.desire.org/

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Specific objectives

Tools for indexing and cataloguing information servers

Tools for the management and maintenance of information servers

Demonstration and evaluation of tools and techniques for information caching and secure access to information servers

Background information for developers of networked information systems

Training materials

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

User groups

EngineersSocial scientistsArt historiansNetwork

managersResearch studentsNetwork operators

Content providersServer

maintainers Orthopaedic

practitioners and researchers

Teleworkers

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

DESIRE 1 - key areas ...

Indexing and Cataloguing– Mechanisms for locating information

Caching– Mechanisms to improve speed of retrieval

Training– Training to support evaluation projects

Evaluation– Technology demonstration and evaluation

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

… DESIRE 1 - key areas

Quality of Service– Measurement and monitoring of service levels

Security– Applications of secure information services

Information Tools– Development of tools for information providers

Home Access– Information access from the home office

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Reliability

Java based systemDiagnoses and anticipates faultsWorks across distributed serversCharts performance over timeMetrics reflect users’ perception

but can be derived from standard management information

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Security

Smartcard system builtAllows students to download commercial

software if they are licensedSupplied as part of network access kit,

ready configuredProtocol extensible to variety of

smartcards and 3rd party authentication

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Cataloguing and IndexingObjectives

– To enable European researchers to locate relevant and high quality information through:

– subject based services (information gateways)– automated indexing– harvesting of high quality resources

Results– Methods and tools for

– development of quality controlled catalogues– automatic indexing of WWW content– harvesting of high quality resources

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

European Web Index - EWI

Does not try to collect the InternetSmaller, easier to maintain

collectionsStandard search protocolExpandable and flexible Adaptable

– national, linguistic, subject groups

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

SBIGs

Subject Based Information Gateways

Human intermediariesMeaningful and accurate metadataCommunities of interest

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Information Gateways

Distributed contribution and cataloguing from a WWW interface

Cross-searching and cross-browsing

Building the framework for a truly international distributed digital library

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Integration of harvesting and cataloguing

Multilingual subject based thesauri

Intelligent redirection for failed searches

Semi-automated resource selection tools

Subject caching? national mirroring?

Information GatewaysFuture directions

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

ROADS

Produced in the eLib programmeUnderlies the DESIRE SBIGsFree software and toolkit350 downloads of v2.0 in 1 monthDublin Core compliantZ39.50 compatiblehttp://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/roads/

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Gateway Guidelines

ProceduresSelection CriteriaResource Description FormatsClassification InternationalisationDistributed Catalogues

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Efficient Retrieval

CachingLarge benefits availableHighly complex to plan and

configureTopology, selection, reliability

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Caching in DESIRE 1

National caches created in Norway and The Netherlands

The core of an emerging European caching network

Guidelines for good practiceEnhancements to HTTP and ICP

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Benefits

web traffic can be reduced by 30%-50%

Norway saved 50,000 ECU in one yearIf widely used, could be 500,000 ECU Also reduction in latency

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Training

Running workshops for information providers

Developing a system for delivering on-line training

TONIC-NG helps real and virtual training

The Internet Detective - a web based tutorial on evaluating the quality of Internet information

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Deliverables and more

http://www.desire.org

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

DESIRE 1 - partners SURFnet bv (NL) Joint Research Centre of the EU Lund Universitets Bibliotek (SE) Origin (Philips C&P) The Queen’s University of Belfast UNINETT (NO) ILRT, University of Bristol (UK) University of Newcastle upon Tyne

(UK) INESC (PT) Koninklijke Bibliotheek (NL) University of Utrecht

University of Groningen Loughborough University (UK) National Technical University of

Athens (GR) Open Network Enterprises srl

(IT) Stichting Academisch

RekenCentrum Amsterdam (SARA) (NL)

TDC Networking Consultancy (UK)

UKOLN, University of Bath (UK) UNITE Solutions Ltd (GB) University of Glasgow (GB)

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

DESIRE 2 ...

Smaller, more focussedJust underwayCritical issues such as :

– caching/indexing distribution– digital libraries and rdf– developing efficient distributed search

for people and things Will be just as good as DESIRE 1 !

DESIRE - developing the Internet for researchers

Funded by DG XIII of the EU 4th framework Telematics for Research Programme.

DESIRE

http://www.desire.org