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Regnet
Functional Architecture (UML-Diagram)
The Regnet system
is an Internet based collaborative network of nodes. Nodes are organized in a
geographic way: each node is managed by a cultural service center (CSC) which
support local cultural organisations (CO). Each Node provides different sets of
functionalities according to specificities of local COs. All Regnet nodes share
common knowledge which is called Ontology. This knowledge dealt with users
profiles, data formats and presentation of information.
Regnet
functionalities has been splitten into subsystems. The aim of this part is to
describe main functionalities of these subsystems. Detail functionalities are
defined in the part dedicated to functional requirements, links between
subsystems are detailed in the part dedicated to architecture.
The REGNET-System consists of different
building blocks (called nodes in this document) which can be
located on different Hardware/Software-Platform. These nodes are:
 | REGNET-Portal;
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| REGNET-Cultural Heritage Data
Management;
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| REGNET-eBusiness Data Management;
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| REGNET-Ontology Checker;
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| REGNET-Electronic Publisher.
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These building blocks host REGNET subsystems
(called components in this document) which provide following
functionalities:
| Repository Management (subsystem-1);
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| Reference System Access (subsystem-2);
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| Knowledge Base Access (subsystem-3);
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| Data Generation (subsystem-4);
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| Search and Retrieval (subsystem-5);
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| E-Business (subsystem-6);
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| Product
Catalogue Management (subsystem-7);
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| Electronic Publishing (subsystem-8);
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| Procurement Invocation (subsystem-9). |
REGNET-Portal
The REGNET-Portal consists of three
components (subsystems), enabling access to following system functions:
| Data Generation (subsystem-4);
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| Search and Retrieval (subsystem-5);
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| E-Business (subsystem-6).
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Data
Generation (subsystem-4)
This subsystem enables the generation of
meta data either via a (configurable) data entry facility (loaded into the
user's browser) or by sending a harvester to repositories included in
Subsystem-1. Meta data are either stored in Subsystem-1 or -2. Data entry and
harvester processes can be triggered by document type definitions (residing in
Subsystem-3) according to the needs of the end user (librarian, archivist,
curator). The client connected to this subsystem might even support multimedia
and 2/3D data input of digital content.
Search
and Retrieval (subsystem-5)
The Search Subsystems allows distribution
of searches to different repositories and the merging of different result sets
delivered by repository subsystems. It includes a subject gateway which
directs queries in a domain or user profile specific way to repositories.
Besides this query mechanism which is well known in the library/archive/museum
world (Z39.50 based), this subsystem also provides the user with the
possibility to distribute queries to product catalogues related to e-commerce
systems (e.g. used by managing a museum store). Searches can be done on
collection or item level.
E-Business
(subsystem-6)
Besides the pure access to digital
collections of cultural and scientific content, REGNET supports business
processes based on digital surrogates. This can be a simple buying function
(B2C) of digital surrogates or real objects (museum shop) or even an order to
produce a personalized CD-ROM based on raw data coming and pre-selected
(shopping cart) from different repositories. The second case involves
Subsystem-8 which supports the generation of digital goods and might involve
several suppliers in a B2B case. All sub processes (electronic payment, copy
right management, data entry, etc) are invoked within this subsystem.
REGNET-Cultural
Heritage Data Management
The REGNET-Cultural Heritage Data Management system
facilitates the management of data related to scientific and cultural heritage.
The connected repositories contain electronic documents as well as surrogates
(e.g. Images) of ‘real objects’. This node type consists of two components:
| Repository Management (subsystem-1);
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| Reference System (subsystem-2).
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Repository
Management (subsystem-1)
Repositories containing digital
surrogates of 'primary' (real world) objects. A repository may be accompanied
by a metadata data base within this subsystem which can be accessed by
standard protocols (http, ISO-Z3950). Using conversion facilities data from
legacy systems or not compliant with the REGNET meta data framework
can be imported into the REGNET environment.
Reference
System (subsystem-2)
This subsystem contains meta data related
to the Repositories included in Subsystem-1 or Subsystem-7. It allows
distributed searches over those repositories. The metadata data base is
populated by uploads of Subsystem-1 or Subsystem-7, or meta data generation
done within Subsystem-4 (data entry, harvesting).
REGNET-eBusiness
Data Management
The REGNET-eBusiness Data Management system
facilitates the management of data related products and services. This node is
connected to the procurement and delivery of goods and services provided by
cultural organizations and consists of two components:
| Product
Catalogue Management (subsystem-7);
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| Procurement, Delivery Invocation (subsystem-9).
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Product
Catalogue Management (subsystem-7)
This subsystem includes meta data
describing products (real or digital) offered by content providers up to
services offered by service providers (e.g. consultancy, digitisation
projects, etc). REGNET allows also search and retrieval of distributed product
(and service) catalogues (as included in the ebXML specifications). Doing this
the user will be able to compare products which supports his/her buying
decision.
Procurement
and Delivery (subsystem-9)
This subsystem provides access to
products and services and transforms requests into real orders or logistic
processes. Contractual matters and partnerships among the different
stakeholders in the REGNET-System (Content Provider, Service Centres, Added
Value Generator, Dealer, etc) are dealt with by this subsystem.
REGNET-Ontology
System
The REGNET-Ontology System is a core
element of the REGNET system and guarantees unification with respect to
terminologies, metadata, business rules, etc. There is one component hosted by
this node:
| Knowledge Base Access (subsystem-3).
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Knowledge
Base Access (subsystem-3)
Subsystem-3 includes data about
repositories, document types, domains, user profiles, product catalogues,
terminologies, external systems, etc. It can be considered as a layer between
the 'user access points' (Subsystem-4, -5, -6) and the different repository
(content) related subsystems (Subsystem-1, -2, -7). It includes different
administration tools for managing authority files, thesauri, meta data
schemas, document type definitions, etc). This subsystem might be connected to
external registries.
REGNET-Electronic
Publisher
The REGNET-Electronic Publisher system
provides the production of digital products like CD-ROMS, WEB-sites, etc. This
node consists of one component:
| Electronic Publishing (subsystem-8).
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Electronic
Publishing (subsystem-8)
Raw data located in digital repositories
combined with commercial available data are the basis for personalized
electronic publishing. The products generated are bound to a workflow which
specifies the production process. Underlying knowledge and methodologies are
accessible via this subsystem. Besides the production of CD-ROMs (e.g. using
predefined story boards and workflows) the creation of virtual galleries or
exhibitions or even WEB-sites are supported. The use of XSL and XML-DTDs in
defining products will be investigated. Products or new workflow
specifications, generated by Subsystem-8 can be used as new input to the
existing range of products and services.
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