Documents and folders are generally given a basic unique identifier which is used to access the item within a particular document management system. When the system permits flexibility in constructing this identifier, a thoughtful design and format can be advantageous to both the application designer and the user.
Some systems support more than one identifier to be assigned to each item, the second identifier being essentially an item identifier alias. For example, IBM's VisualInfo and Eastman Software's Open Image/Workflow both support user defined item names. These present even more flexibility and design choices, for which the Illuminating Name Pattern may be of assistance.
Additionally, the basic item identifier may be combined into more complex document and folder identifiers for inter-system and Internet access. Internet naming is evolving as URL (Universal Resource Locator) technology is augmented by URN (Universal Resource Name) implementations. URLs are keyed to a specific network location to retrieve a document. URNs identify documents independently of location, but require a name resolution service to provide the necessary translation.
Naming items for use within either a single document repository name space, or across multiple document repository name spaces.
Within a single document repository name space, a simple scheme may be used which will not necessarily guarantee uniqueness for other systems within the enterprise or at other organizations.
A more complex scheme is required when naming documents from multiple document repositories that will be indexed in a common indexing facility. Additional prefix or suffix information is needed to uniquely define the repository name spaces themselves. Obviously, the additional prefix information can be stripped off the identifier when accessing data within a local system.
Integers or strings of random-like characters providing a unique identifier within a single name space.
For example, FileNet's IMS uses a numeric integer for each document, and IBM's VisualInfo uses a sixteen character string that are effectively random combinations of a limited set of letters and symbols.
Strings with sub-fields that provide unique identifiers as well as information about the document or folder.
The structure can be unique within an enterprise or across all enterprises (for example, on the Internet), by carefully crafting the fields. Each document or folder in an enterprise should be uniquely identified.
These identifiers can be generated without needing to verify their uniqueness with a central database since the naming authority is very granular.
The sub-fields may be directly concatenated or have various punctuation characters separating them. The separators can simplify string parsing by applications desiring to utilize this embedded information.
Example: COM.ACME/NYC1.DOCA/SCAN1.19970716.134456.007
| Organization | COM.ACME | Globally unique via Internet domain name assignment to acme.com. |
| Location or System | NYC1.DOCA | Enterprise unique for facility or software system, |
| Server/Device | SCAN1 | Unique identifier of server performing naming. Could also be a unique workstation or user identifier. |
| Date | 19970716 | Sortable year 2000 compliant date. |
| Time | 134456 | Sortable 24 hour time. |
| Sequence | 007 | Unique identifier for items within a batch or group at that time. |
Strings with sub-fields that provide identifiers as well as information about the document or folder.
These may made unique, or intentionally non-unique so that particular folders or documents can be specifically identified. These identifiers would require verification against a central database to ensure uniqueness.
The alias is an identifier in addition to the document or folder unique identifier.
Example: COM.ACME/NYC.DOCA/INSPC/65476876.APP
| Organization | COM.ACME | Globally unique via Internet domain name assignment to acme.com. |
| Location or System | NYC.DOCA | Enterprise unique for facility or software system. This example New York VisualInfo Library.A |
| Line of Business | INSPC | Unique identifier line of business within enterprise to separate policy or client numbers assigned by sub-systems sharing a document management system. This example: property and casualty insurance group. |
| Type | APP | Type of document or folder. This example: policy application folder. |
Eastman Software's Open Image/Workflow and IBM's VisualInfo both support such alias identifiers as the item name (in addition to a unique id), and support retrieval of such named items without an index search.
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Copyright © 1997-2000 by Gary M. Gershon. All rights reserved.
Last Changed: 08/19/00
Comments to: Gary Gershon (Gershon@Celsus.Net)