RDS/WIP Domains: Proposal

A proposal for how to address and identify data in the RDS/WIP on the network.

Background

Triplestores, Datasets, Graphs and Models

The RDS/WIP is backed by a single triplestore, but this triplestore can be divided into multiple datasets. Each dataset has a default graph, plus other optional named graphs. Each graph is in essence a standalone RDF model that can be manipulated independently of other graphs. Similarly, datasets can be completely independent of one another, or can overlap by sharing graphs (models).

SPARQL Endpoints

Data in the RDS/WIP is exposed on the network by the use of SPARQL endpoints. A SPARQL endpoint generally maps to either a single dataset or a single model. Optionally, a SPARQL endpoint may allow access to multiple datasets by name. In the RDS/WIP usage though, its likely that a SPARQL endpoint will map to a single dataset with a default model.

Domain Names

SPARQL endpoints need not necessarily share the same domain name - this means that different models can be exposed on completely different URIs with no shared component (apart from the http:// protocol part).

Content

Some endpoints will contain highly compliant and standardized ISO 15926 content; others will contain compliant but non-standardized content; still others will contain P7L content loosely adapted to RDF; and finally some endpoints will contain content that bears no relationship to ISO 15926 at all.

Ownership

Submitters retain copyright over their submissions, however, they do irrevocably release the content under an open license, such as the BSD 2 clause or something similar in broad intent. That is to say, they forever allow other people to use their definitions without constraint apart from attribution. Those attributions should be simply part of the RDF data.

Opportunity

This feature of the technology - the ability to use the same installation to publish data appearing to reside at many different URIs - gives IDS-ADI an opportunity to consider what sort of policies and approaches we want to take to publishing data and how we want to support the service.

Proposal