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Re: intelligent searches
At 12.42 96-04-23, Carl Ellison wrote:
>I'm torn by this example/thread. If we assume we're all on the net, then we
>can each store our own certificates (with mirrors as desired for fault
>tolerance) and we get a massive, distributed database without creating
>anything that calls itself a Certification Authority or anything that looks
>like X.500. Those are goodnesses, IMHO.
>
>On the other hand, my distributed net-wide database doesn't have any
>intelligence attached for doing searches the way a relational DB can.
>
>Is it possible to have an AltaVista solution? ...that is, to have the certs
>stored in a loose web of URLs across the world while some enterprising
>engine company sets up shop to do intelligent searches?
The solution is in this case, when you have data stored locally, and
only distribute information about what data you have, is to use the
Common Indexing Protocol discussed in the FIND wg in the IETF. The
protocol is the indexing (server-server part) of Whois++, but we
have chosen to try to differ between that part and the client-server
access protocol, just because the need for query routing is so
needed even in an LDAP or Alta-Vista environment.
So far only Whois++ software in the world handles query routing,
but I know that for example Roland Hedberg in Umeå, Sweden, is
working on an CIP front-end to an LDAP-based X.500 database.
paf