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{{Infobox software
{{Infobox software
| name = Fedora
| name = Fedora
| logo =
| logo = [[File:Fedora_Commons_logo.jpg]]
| screenshot =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| caption =
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| developer = [[DuraSpace]]
| developer = [[DuraSpace]]
| released =
| released =
| latest release version = 3.5
| latest release version = 3.6
| latest release date = 2011-08-23
| latest release date = 2012-08-07
| platform = [[Java (software platform)|Java]]
| platform = [[Java (software platform)|Java]]
| language =
| language =

Revision as of 18:44, 8 August 2012

This article is about the digital repository software. For the Linux distribution, see Fedora (operating system). For other uses, see Fedora.
Fedora
Developer(s)DuraSpace
Stable release
3.6 / 2012-08-07
Repository
PlatformJava
LicenseApache License 2.0
Websitefedora-commons.org

Fedora (or Flexible Extensible Digital Object Repository Architecture) is a digital asset management (DAM) architecture upon which institutional repositories, digital archives, and digital library systems might be built. Fedora is the underlying architecture for a digital repository, and is not a complete management, indexing, discovery, and delivery application. It is a modular architecture built on the principle that interoperability and extensibility are best achieved by the integration of data, interfaces, and mechanisms (i.e., executable programs) as clearly defined modules.

History

Fedora was originally developed by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Virginia Library[1] as an architecture for storing, managing, and accessing digital content in the form of digital objects inspired by the Kahn and Wilensky Framework.[2] Fedora began as a DARPA and NSF-funded research project at Cornell University's Digital Library Research Group in 1997, where the first reference implementation and a CORBA-based technical implementation were built.[3] Since then, several modifications have been made to the architecture, and in late 2005, version 2.1 was released.[4] The current version is 3.5. Fedora defines a set of abstractions for expressing digital objects, asserting relationships among digital objects, and linking "behaviors" (i.e., services) to digital objects.

When the Fedora Core distribution was created by Red Hat, and the name adopted, Red Hat attempted to assert its trademark against the Cornell software. Cornell University and the University of Virginia considered legal action against Red Hat. Further discussion of this dispute seems to be either unspoken or under wraps; both projects continue to use the name and there seems to be no further press since November 2003.[5]

Technology

Fedora provides a general-purpose management layer for digital objects.[6] Object management is based on content models that represent data objects (units of content) or collections of data objects. The objects contain linkages between datastreams (internally managed or external content files), metadata (inline or external), system metadata (including a PID – persistent identifier – that is unique to the repository), and behaviors that are themselves code objects that provide bindings or links to disseminators (software processes that can be used with the datastreams). Content models can be thought of as containers that give a useful shape to information poured into them; if the information fits the container, it can immediately be used in predefined ways.

Fedora supports two types of access services: a management client for ingest, maintenance, and export of objects; or via API hooks for customized web-based access services built on either HTTP or SOAP. A Fedora Repository provides a general-purpose management layer for digital objects, and containers that aggregate mime-typed datastreams (e.g., digital images, XML files, metadata). Out-of-the-box Fedora includes the necessary software tools to ingest, manage, and provide basic delivery of objects with few or no custom disseminators, or can be used as a backend to a more monolithic user interface.

Fedora supports ingest and export of digital objects in a variety of XML formats. This enables interchange between Fedora and other XML-based applications and facilitates archiving tasks.

  • Digital Object Model The FEDORA digital object model allows tight management of metadata and digital content, regardless of format. The system is scalable and flexible allowing for FEDORA to associate objects with external or distributed repositories. Objects and behaviour are separated making it possible to change the required behaviours by altering the mechanisms without changing the objects themselves.
  • Server architecture is based upon four main Application Programming Interfaces (APIs): manage, access, search and the Open Archival Initiative service (for metadata harvesting).

The Fedora Project is currently supported by the DuraSpace organization.

See also

References

  1. ^ Staples, T., Wayland, R., Virginia Dons FEDORA: A Prototype for a Digital Object Repository. D-Lib Magazine. July/August 2000.
  2. ^ Kahn, R., Wilensky R., A framework for distributed digital object services, International Journal on Digital Libraries. Volume 6 Issue 2, April 2006. Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg.
  3. ^ Payette, S., Lagoze, C., Flexible and Extensible Digital Object and Repository Architecture (FEDORA). Research and Advanced Technology for Digital Libraries Second European Conference, ECDL’98 Heraklion, Crete, Greece September 21--23, 1998.
  4. ^ Staples, T., Wayland, R., Payette, S., The Fedora Project: An Open-source Digital Object Repository Management System. D-Lib Magazine. April 2003.
  5. ^ Becker, D., Red Hat, researchers in name tiff. CNET News.com. November 6, 2003.
  6. ^ Green, R., Awre, C., The REMAP Project: Steps Towards a Repository-enabled Information Environment. Ariadne Magazine. April 30, 2009.

Further reading

External links

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