NCore: Data Model

The NCore data model is implemented by a web services API that manages digital objects--content containers that be dynamically viewed with associated web services.The model describes five classes of objects that include Resource, Metadata, Aggregator, Metadata Provider, and Agent. Three types of data, or content, may be present in each object--Properties, Datastreams, and Relationships. Taken as a whole, the objects and their constituent relationships in the NCore data model form a graph, or data structure, that consists of a set of nodes and edges that establish connections between interrelated objects. The figure at left shows blog and wiki resource objects in the NCore Data Repository, and the relationships to referenced resources that form a graph. Krafft, D., Birkland, A., Cramer, E., "NCore: Architecture and Implementation of a Flexible, Collaborative Digital Library." Proceedings of the Joint Conference on Digital Libraries, June 16-20, 2008. Pittsburgh, PA.