[Esip-preserve] Another Issue

[Curt Tilmes]

On 10/12/2010 01:32 PM, alicebarkstrom at frontier.com wrote:
> I don't think we've spelled out who is responsible for keeping up
> the links for the citations when something changes.

The curator of the archive would make a commitment to keep them
up to date (and redirect them if the dataset is relocated).

For example:

The EOS LAND Validation Leaf Area Index Maps.
currently described here:
http://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=816

Citation:
Fernandes, R. A., A. Abduelgasim, L. Sylvain, S. K. Khurshid, and
C. Butson. 2005. Leaf Area Index Maps at 30-m Resolution, Selected
Sites, Canada. Data set. Available on-line [http://daac.ornl.gov/]
from Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center,
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. doi:10.3334/ORNLDAAC/816

Suppose (unlikely, I know) that the ORNL DAAC loses all its funding
and is disbanded.  Since this is an important dataset, some new DAAC
(the "BIODAAC") takes over all the data.  The url cited above
"http://daac.ornl.gov/" may no longer work, but the DOI is still live.

The DOI organization itself maintains the first level resolver.  It is
"well known" that you can go to "http://dx.doi.org" to resolve them.

If you go there and cut/paste the DOI from the above into the DOI
resolver (or go directly to http://dx.doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/816) it
redirects to the home for the dataset here:
http://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=816

If the dataset moved, an update of the DOI database would arrange for
that exact same URL: "http://dx.doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/816" to
instead redirect to "http://biodaac.gov/something/816" which might be
the new home for the dataset.

That addresses some (but not all) of your questions..

DOI resolution is discussed here:
http://www.doi.org/handbook_2000/resolution.html
(section 3.10 contrasts the DOI resolution with PURLs)

> Here are some variants on the
> questions I don't think we've answered:
>
> 1.  Who is responsible for maintaining the correctness
> of links when something changes - and how much persuasiveness
> do they have?
>
> This question can be made more specific by asking some
> related questions:
>
> 1a.  Is the data provider or the archive going to have to let
> the resolving authority know that they're going out of
> business?
>
> 1b.  Who is responsible for correcting for "link not found"
> kinds of messages?
>
> 2.  What quality of service agreements are required
> for the parties involved in archival and resolution
> authorities?
>
> On a practical note, the PURL server was down for about two
> weeks when I was trying to research for the paper.
>
> 3.  In the event we have multiple archives storing the same data,
> what provision does the resolving authority need to make for that
> situation?
>
> 3a.  Does the resolving authority need to make provision for data
> collections that have "scientifically identical" contents but that
> have different formats, data element serialization, and even
> different partitioning of data into files - particularly if the
> different collections are stored in different archives?

We're hoping to get something working for the "authoritative copy of
the standard products" before moving on to those concerns.

> I don't think the paper had any specifics on these issues.  From my
> perspective, they need some mention.  If we have anyone with
> practical experience in this area, it would be useful to get a note
> on how they've dealt with the issues, along the line of Ken's very
> helpful note earlier this morning.

Perhaps the other Bruce?

Curt