Running Standard Repositories in the NRP

This document describes modes of operating standard repository implementations in the NRP, i.e. ASEP/ARL, CESNET-Invenio, and CLARIN-DSpace.

Running an instance of ASEP/ARL

For a general overview, consult Options for Running an ASEP/ARL Repository (note the English version directly in the document).

Running an instance of CESNET-Invenio

There are two basic models of operating CESNET-Invenio-based repositories that depend whether there are customised components developed and maintained by the repository administrator.

With a bit of simplification, the code base of a CESNET-Invenio-based repository consists of

• the common base maintained by CERN,
• common parts especially related to the NRP developed by CESNET (those together are known as CESNET-Invenio and may include components useful for various repositories),
• components specific for a specific repository, such as
  • user interface styling (logos/colour schemes),
  • specific metadata model including metadata validation logic and the user interface especially for metadata input,
  • specific search support, data visualisation components, data validation,
  • anything else specific for the repository.

CESNET-Invenio Fully Managed by the NRP

In general, simple customisations like look&feel and small extensions of standard metadata models will usually be done by CESNET’s development team and the full code base of such repository instance will be completely managed by the infrastructure.

In that case, the repository can be fully managed by the NRP staff from development to full operation. It includes updates and ensuring compatibility of custom code. In other words, the repository administrator does not need to touch the code nor the deployment ever.

Highly Customised Instances of CESNET-Invenio Repositories

Should the repository administrator require more extensive customisations (large metadata models especially with complex verification logic, fully custom components), then the repository administrators must take part of their development.

In that case, the repository administrator becomes the top-level integrator of the repository instance. Then

• the customised code must be kept in a git,
• the NRP will supply test and staging environments for the repository administrator,
• the NRP will provide their best effort to inform the repository administrator about emerging changes of the main CESNET-Invenio code that may affect compatibility and will provide documentation and recommendations how to handle development and operation of custom components,
• but the repository administrator is responsible for compatibility of their custom components and for maintaining them (it cannot be expected that the NRP has capacity to take part in their development),
• this is especially important in the (unlikely but possible) case when a security update must be performed on the infrastructure that cannot be reasonably done without breaking compatibility of CESNET-Invenio interfaces,
• the production instance of the repository will be operated by the NRP team, i.e. when the repository administrators are happy to release a new version, they will ask the infrastructure support team to do so. The infrastructure team is responsible for day-to-day operation of the repository.

The repository administrators are always advised to discuss their particular cases with CESNET-Invenio developers to clarify status of intended development work (there may be ready components for some of the functionalities, there may be components that turn out universally useful so that the CESNET-Invenio team will implement those). Kindly note that the CESNET-Invenio team reserves the right to decide on the status of each feature in question.

Running an instance of CLARIN-DSpace

For CLARIN/DSpace, the models are very similiar to CESNET-Invenio.

The code base consists of original mainstream DSpace code with parts specific to CLARIN-DSpace specific in NRP. In addition to that, user communities may have specific changes covering their needs.

CLARIN-DSpace Fully Managed by the NRP

Similar to Invenio, simple customisations covering look&feel and small extensions of the default metadata model will usually be done by the CLARIN-DSpace team (mostly of the Institute of Formal and Applied Linguistics, CUNI), the entire source code of the repository will thus be managed by the infrastructure.

In that case, the repository can be fully managed by the NRP staff.

Highly Customised Instances of CLARIN-DSpace Repositories

Should more extensive customisations be required by the repository administrator, then the repository administrator must take an active role in developing and maintaining the code of the repository.

The repository administrator would become the top-level integrator of the code of the repository. Kindly refer to the section on highly customised CESNET-Invenio instances as the same principles and procedures apply.