URN Namespace Definition Mechanisms
RFC 2611
Document | Type |
RFC - Best Current Practice
(June 1999; No errata)
Obsoleted by RFC 3406
Also known as BCP 33
Was draft-ietf-urn-nid-req (urn WG)
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Authors | Patrik Fältström , Renato Iannella , Dirk-Willem van Gulik , Leslie Daigle | ||
Last updated | 2013-03-02 | ||
Stream | Internent Engineering Task Force (IETF) | ||
Formats | plain text html pdf htmlized (tools) htmlized bibtex | ||
Stream | WG state | (None) | |
Document shepherd | No shepherd assigned | ||
IESG | IESG state | RFC 2611 (Best Current Practice) | |
Consensus Boilerplate | Unknown | ||
Telechat date | |||
Responsible AD | (None) | ||
Send notices to | (None) |
Network Working Group L. Daigle Request for Comments: 2611 Thinking Cat Enterprises BCP: 33 D. van Gulik Category: Best Current Practice ISIS/CEO, JRC Ispra R. Iannella DSTC Pty Ltd P. Faltstrom Tele2/Swipnet June 1999 URN Namespace Definition Mechanisms Status of this Memo This document specifies an Internet Best Current Practices for the Internet Community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Copyright Notice Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999). All Rights Reserved. Abstract The URN WG has defined a syntax for Uniform Resource Names (URNs) [RFC2141], as well as some proposed mechanisms for their resolution and use in Internet applications ([RFC2168, RFC2169]). The whole rests on the concept of individual "namespaces" within the URN structure. Apart from proof-of-concept namespaces, the use of existing identifiers in URNs has been discussed ([RFC2288]), and this document lays out general definitions of and mechanisms for establishing URN "namespaces". 1.0 Introduction Uniform Resource Names (URNs) are resource identifiers with the specific requirements for enabling location independent identification of a resource, as well as longevity of reference. There are 2 assumptions that are key to this document: Assumption #1: Assignment of a URN is a managed process. I.e., not all strings that conform to URN syntax are necessarily valid URNs. A URN is assigned according to the rules of a particular namespace (in terms of syntax, semantics, and process). Daigle, et al. Best Current Practice [Page 1] RFC 2611 URN Namespace Definition Mechanisms June 1999 Assumption #2: The space of URN namespaces is managed. I.e., not all syntactically correct URN namespaces (per the URN syntax definition) are valid URN namespaces. A URN namespace must have a recognized definition in order to be valid. The purpose of this document is to outline a mechanism and provide a template for explicit namespace definition, along with the mechanism for associating an identifier (called a "Namespace ID", or NID) which is registered with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, IANA. Note that this document restricts itself to the description of processes for the creation of URN namespaces. If "resolution" of any so-created URN identifiers is desired, a separate process of registration in a global NID directory, such as that provided by the NAPTR system [RFC2168], is necessary. See [NAPTR-REG] for information on obtaining registration in the NAPTR global NID directory. 2.0 What is a URN Namespace? For the purposes of URNs, a "namespace" is a collection of uniquely- assigned identifiers. A URN namespace itself has an identifier in order to - ensure global uniqueness of URNs - (where desired) provide a cue for the structure of the identifier For example, ISBNs and ISSNs are both collections of identifiers used in the traditional publishing world; while there may be some number (or numbers) that is both a valid ISBN identifier and ISSN identifier, using different designators for the two collections ensures that no two URNs will be the same for different resources. The development of an identifier structure, and thereby a collection of identifiers, is a process that is inherently dependent on the requirements of the community defining the identifier, how they will be assigned, and the uses to which they will be put. All of these issues are specific to the individual community seeking to define a namespace (e.g., publishing community, association of booksellers, protocol developers, etc); they are beyond the scope of the IETF URN work. Daigle, et al. Best Current Practice [Page 2] RFC 2611 URN Namespace Definition Mechanisms June 1999 This document outlines the processes by which a collection of identifiers satisfying certain constraints (uniqueness of assignment, etc) can become a bona fide URN namespace by obtaining a NID. In a nutshell, a template for the definition of the namespace is completed for deposit with IANA, and a NID is assigned. The details of the process and possibilities for NID strings are outlined below; first, a template for the definition is provided.Show full document text