HANDLE.NET Software Version 7.2

CNRI announced the release of version 7.0 of the HANDLE.NET software in December 2010. The current release is version 7.2.1 (March 2013). Version 7.0 constituted a major upgrade to the system. The major improvements included:

Template handles: a single template handle can now be included in the form of a base formula that allows any number of extensions to that base to be resolved as full handles, according to a pattern, without each such handle being individually registered. This would allow, for example, the use of handles to reference an unlimited number of ranges within a video without each potential range having to be registered with a separate handle. If the pattern needs to be changed, e.g., the video moves or a different kind of server is used to deliver the video clips, only the single base handle needs to be changed to allow an unlimited number of previously constructed extensions to continue to resolve properly.

Offline signatures: handle values can now be signed with "offline" private keys (private keys that need not exist on any Internet-connected machine). This additional layer of verification has been applied to all entries in the Global Handle Registry by CNRI but any party that has the authority to create handle records at any level can use this general capability to sign their handle records. The release includes a simple but flexible API for building handle value digests and signing those digests.

Multiple location type: support has been added for a new handle value type, 10320/loc, which specifies a list of URL locations, including information that differentiates the locations, to which a handle can resolve. The web-to-handle proxy and Firefox extension can now use the data that comes along with the http request, e.g., client IP address, browser language, URL parameters, etc) to determine the selection of a specific URL from the list of alternatives. Thus, European users could be directed to one URL while North American users could be directed to another.

DNS interface: added a DNS interface to translate DNS resolution requests to handle resolution requests. This includes support for translating DNS names to handles, including decoding Internationalized Domain Names.

Berkeley database: the new distribution includes the Berkeley DB, which is now the default storage system for version 7.0 of the Handle System. However, other databases may be used in place of the Berkeley DB, if desired.

Jython interpreter: added a Jython interpreter that can run script files or show an interactive shell, enabling any Python programmer to create scripts to interact with the handle server. Command-line parameters can specify authentication information or prompt the user with a GUI authentication window.

See the Release Notes & Change Log for additional details on these and other changes in subsequent versions.

See HANDLE.NET Software to download version 7.2.1. Contact the Handle System Administrator at hdladmin@cnri.reston.va.us for assistance.