ITU's Handle Web Client

Manage
digital objects

Create, modify and delete Digital
Objects and their associated information

Distributed administration

Giving other users right access to
administer Digital Objects

Display
digital objects

Discover resources from different
groups/models

Digital Object Architecture in ITU

Digital Object Architecture provides a means of managing digital information in a network environment, individual Digital Objects (DOs) are stored in Internet repositories and accessed by their unique identifiers. Thus, changes in technology for storage, operating systems, languages, and platforms can be handled easily.

Handle System, is a key part of the DO Architecture

The Handle System maps Handle Identifiers to their “state information”. The state information could be various Internet locations where the DO may be accessed, terms and conditions for access and use of the DO, authentication information, etc.

Permanent access to Digital Objects

Handle Identifiers can persist over changes to the identified object, such as changes in its location(s), ownership, and other attributes, this persistence is vital for maintaining data integrity over time since it guarantees the long-term preservation and access to all resources.

More than just an identifier

Handle Identifier stores the necessary state information about the digital object to locate, access, contact, authenticate, or otherwise make use of the resources associated with that digital object.

  • Handle Record: storing state information about the entity is an integral part of making identifiers useful: it enables discovery of state information (e.g., metadata) and allows users to perform operations on digital objects including interactions between digital objects which could be located in the same network or anywhere else.
  • Multiple Resolution System: Handle IDs can be resolved to an arbitrary number of different points on the Internet: multiple URLs, other handles, other data types.
  • Administration: each Handle ID can have one or more owners with different administrative permissions, the system uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to authenticate administrators