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If you enabled your handle server's HTTP interface during the setup process, or manually in the `config.dct' file, handles can be directly resolved on the server through a web browser. A handle server used in this manner is often referred to as a proxy server.
Using HTTP URLs allows handles to be resolved from standard web browsers without additional client software, but requires that the handles be associated with a specific proxy server. If that proxy server changes its DNS name or otherwise becomes invalid, the reference (i.e., the HTTP URL) to the handle will break. Thus selection or use of proxy servers should be carefully evaluated.
You can connect to the server's HTTP interface by opening a URL like http://127.0.0.1:8000. Replace 127.0.0.1 with the IP address or hostname of your Handle server. If you changed the HTTP port for the server replace 8000 with the correct port number. You should see a page like the one below.
It is also possible to build URLs to the proxy which will automatically resolve or redirect to a specified handle. For a Handle System Server with an IP address of 127.0.0.1 and HTTP interface port 8000 the handle my_handle00 can be resolved from a web browser through the URL http://127.0.0.1:8000/my_handle00.
If the allow_recursion option is set in the server's configuration,
the HTTP interface will allow resolution of handles which are not stored on the
local handle server. When a client requests and external handle the handle
server will resolve the handle and return the results, just as if it were
stored locally. This is how public proxy servers like hdl.handle.net and
dx.doi.org are configured. If allow_recursion is disabled, the
proxy will only allow resolution of handles stored on the local handle server.
Proxy servers are not part of any handle system administration or authentication hierarchy. The handle system protocol does not authenticate any response from a proxy server. Use of a proxy server is a client option, and the client may have to rely on the proxy server to authenticate any service response from handle system service components. Clients are responsible to set up their own trust relationship with the proxy server they select.
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