Jonn Robert Gardner

January 27, 2000

Updated Re:Zedkit, 8/19/00

MetaManager

• Runs with Oracle (version . . . ?)
• Developed for Geospatial data. Works with GEO Profile
• Primary addressing of Use Attribute set (i.e., not structure, truncation, position, completeness, etc.)
• Supports Z39.50 search and retrieve, some browse/scan support
• Returns records in HTML, ASCII, SGML, or XML
• Reportedly works with any source data format
• some support for GILS, Bib-1, primarily for GEO attribute set, however
• changes to master collection automatically updates all global variables
• base record return format is SUTRS, can do USMARC and GRS-1
• runs with institution's own security system (3 possible ways), rather than Z39.50's
• Oracle install sounds "plug-n-play"

• Which/how many of the Z39.50 Facilities does it support other than search and retrieve?
• Pricing
• $2400 per connection over 10 connections (what does this mean? Per each ATLA subscriber?
• $3900 less than 6 per connection
• $4995 for the Oracle core MetaManager version
• $750 for support (how often??)
• Unicode support and/or character sets?
• Can we adapt this tool to our primarily Bib-1 set?
• will future versions support more Z39.50 Facilities?
• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support?

( http://zeta.tlcpi.finsiel.it/zetasuite/products.html)

• Stand-alone set of tools to build integrated multi-media cultural heritage information resources and to make those resources available for search and retrieve over digital networks.
• The Zeta Suite is based on the Z39.50 protocol (ANSI Z39.50, ISO 10162/63),
• Runs on Solaris
• complete/stand-alone product, not an Oracle augment
• perl based
• proxy, uses independent, not Z39.50 security
• has a range of components, either for Z39.50 origins, targets, gateways, etc.

• What Facilities beside Search and Retrieval from Z39.50's set of eleven?
• price?
• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Unicode?
• Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support?

(http://www.bsn.com/Z39.50/)

• An emerging family of multi-platform multi-protocol information management products for Inter/Intranet applications.
• Z39.50 Target (server) supports the following facilities: Init, Search, Present, Retrieve (the standard minimum), Delete, Scan, Access Control,
• Fully configurable attribute sets, GRS and advanced search.
• Explain is planned.
• Access and database maintenance is available via a WWW interface.
• Data is converted "live" via object oriented technology to any of a number of presentation formats, including HTML and XML for use in the World Wide Web.
• The interBasis server includes a high-speed structured full-text retrieval engine that supports a wide range of native document types (including SGML, XML, HTML,MARC and numerous bibliographic, metadata and Internet standards),
• national language and international character set support,
• CORBA interface to integrate legacy and
• RDBMS services is in development. Support for IPv6 is currently being tested.
• Seems not yet Oracle, Unicode support is not specific

• price? They customize, make turnkey-- how much development can we do?
• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Unicode?
• Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support?

( http://www.blueangeltech.com/)

• Provides an integrated system for managing and publishing information using Z39.50.
• Works with Oracle: Accommodates repeating, hierarchical, and locally-defined elements, and integrates with third-party relational database management systems (e.g., Microsoft Access, Oracle) using the ODBC industry standard interface.
• Provides out-of-the-box support for a number of metadata standards (including GILS, FGDC, CIMI, ICPSR, Dublin Core, DIF, ANZLIC).
• Seems to import only XML, while all the other formats listed above are supported for export
• Big government kind of solution
• Only supports search and Retrieve facilities of Z39.50, has some support for Browse/Scan, but not in Z39.50 form
• Permits development and deployment of custom records without programming.
• Server. Makes metadata available for searching and retrieval using Z39.50. Integrated with a number of popular off-the-shelf search engines (e.g., Alta Vista, Fulcrum, etc.) and is configurable for full-text and structured searches.
• Data Entry. A Java Applet used to remotely enter metadata records directly from a Web browser.
• Repository. An administrative tool for capturing, importing, managing, and exporting metadata in a variety of file formats.
• Gateway. Simultaneously searches physically distributed Z39.50 servers with a single query and merges results into a single result set.
• Software Development Kits (SDKs). The Z39.50 Client and Server SDKs (in C++ and Java) allows users to develop custom applications.

• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Unicode?
• Range of Z39.50 Facilities supported other than just Init/Search/Retrieve?
• Price?

( http://roadrunner.crxnet.com/wwwzedjava.html)

• ZedJava is the result of the collaborative effort between DSTC (http://www.dstc.au.edu/) and Crossnet (http://www.crxnet.com) to create a sophisticated software package for developers of Z39.50 based information retrieval software.
• ZedJava can be used within a Wide Web interface for Z39.50 information servers in the form of a Java applet, or it can be used in a standalone application.
• The software is provided in the form of a Java application programmers interface as a set of class files with comprehensive documentation.
• When placed on a Web page, an applet using ZedJava can be automatically downloaded and run in a user’s Web browser, providing access to any Z39.50 servers co-located with the Web server or via a proxy gateway.

• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Oracle interaction?
• Price?
• Unicode?
• Do we want something where patrons/customers have to download additional software?
• what actual range of Z39.50 facilities does it support?
• Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support?

(http://www.indexdata.dk/)

• Zebra is free! and it supports Explain, and a relatively rich list of Facilities
• Can be "scaled" with its commercial bigger brother, Z'mbol which runs for $20,000

• Scalable? Multimedia?
• Oracle interaction?
• Unicode?
• Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support?

(http://www.mds.rmit.edu.au/)

• Supports all 11 Facilities of Z39.50
• This is the only package listed as "high performance" on the Library of Congress Z39.50 product list page
• can run side-by-side with Oracle
• supports all main Z39.50 profiles, all formats of data record retrieval
• stores data in native format
• infinitely scalable to the real of terabytes, all multimedia
• N.B. This product has been presented separately in ATLA internal communications, along with white paper, and is currently under free license for testing, accordingly, details are truncated here
• Supports all aspects of Phase II rich hierarchy/XML full context search support
• full Unicode support

( http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/projects/software.html)

Supplied by EnWare,S.A as one of the results of the CEC's Telematics projects, CaseLibrary. A Windows client that fully supports Z39.50v.3 in several MARC formats as well as GRS-1 and SUTRS.

• Uses OCLC SiteSearch WebZ software
• A customizable Web interface to Z39.50 databases
• Can accommodate non-Z39.50 databases provided they use the published API, also databases built locally with other OCLC SiteSearch components.