ReDBox 2

Introduction

ReDBox 2 represents a review and renewal of the ReDBox system. The program is driven by a number of things:

• 1. A lot has changed since the program started in late 2010:

     1. 1. New initiatives have started such as ORCID and ISNI

        2. Standards such as RIF-CS have been improved upon

  2. We've also established a broader user base (from 1 to 12) in a brief amount of time:

• • • 1. We've seen where parts of the system have stretched/broken

      2. As different groups have brought the system into their environment we've seen where they've had issues around integration, and skills.

Big-ticket items

There are a few areas that we know cause annoyance to our users and resolving them

• • Merge ReDBox and Mint into the one system

    • • There were reasons (long ago) that saw them stand alone - these reasons don't really exist anymore

      • The underlying platform is the same

  • Deliver a new harvest client

    • • This will replace both the harvester system (used in Mint) and alerts system (used in ReDBox)

      • Key goals:

        • • Improve error handling on incoming data

          • Improve the range of information sources that can be harvested

          • Improve the configuration of the harvester

  • Completely rewrite the curation sub-system

    • • Curation of a large network of relationships just fails.

      • We want to create a more effective curation sub-system that also provides better levels of feedback

  • Standardise the technology mix used in the application stack so that customizing the application to your needs is simpler.

  • Make administration and upgrading of the system more user friendly

  • Renew the dataset forms

    • • The current review forms use an older layout system that's difficult to maintain - it's time to drop that and move to the system created for Data Management Plans

      • The forms themselves are in need of review

Delivery

The elements described under the ReDBox 2 plan are quite broad and involve a substantial amount of work. We prefer to take bite-sized chunks so will take an approach that allows for

• 1. Delivering components that can be used in ReDBox 1 and 2

  2. A safer and more trouble-free upgrade process

The following roadmap has been proposed to meet the afforementioned requirements:

Version 1.8

• New curation manger

• New harvest client

• New administration application to allow for configuration via web interface

• Simplification of the institutional builds concept by removing the requirement of using Maven

Version 1.9

• Merge ReDBox and Mint into the one application

Version 1.10

• • Implement a fully featured API to improve the capabilities of integration with external systems as well as the potential to easily create custom portals.

Version 2

• • Re-working of back-end system (technology stack to be devised)