INTRODUCTION | WHAT IS Z39.50? | ZEBRA SERVER | INTEROPERABILITY | PROFILES | CLIENTS & SERVERS | FURTHER INFORMATION | GLOSSARY | GRAPHICS | SELECTING BEST FIT | CHECKLISTS|ACRONYMS
This section will discuss important issues to consider when selecting and implementing a Z39.50 client and/or server.
When an organization decides it is ready to install Z39.50 software there is a list of questions they will need to ask themselves. The first two questions are:
How much an organization wants to pay for its software may help narrow down where the
organization is going to get the software. If an organization has little or no money
available to spend, they may want to start with a free Z-client like ICONE (http://roadrunner.crxnet.com/onec.html). All that is needed to use this software is to download it.
If money is not an issue, the institution will be able to select software from a long list
of companies. A good web site to visit that lists companies who sell Z39.50 software is
the Library of Congress Z39.50 Register of Implementors -- Company Names. (http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/register/company.html)
In addition, an institution may want to consider building their own software. If so, they will then have to decide if they want to build it:
One reason an organization might want to build their own Z39.50 client or server is that they can get a Z39.50 tool kit for free. The ZedKit for UNIX is available at the following URL (http://roadrunner.crxnet.com/dbv.html). But as it is well known, there is no free lunch. So even though the Z39.50 tool kit is free, the institution will still need to pay someone to adapt and configure the tool kit. And the same goes triple for building a Z39.50 client or server from scratch using computer code.
After deciding how much money the institution is willing to spend on the Z39.50 software, the institution will next need to decide whether it wants to implement a Z39.50 client and/or server. To do this the institution will need to answer several key questions, such as, will the library need both a Z-client and a Z-server?
The organization will be able to answer this question by deciding on what it wants to be able to do with the Z39.50 software. Does the organization want to be able to search:
1. Other institution's catalogs using Z39.50 software? Other institution's catalogs using Z39.50 software? There are numerous libraries and institution's online catalogs that are available for searching using Z39.50 software. The Library of Congress Z390.50 Gateway web page (http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/) provides a list of institution catalogs that are available for searching using Z39.50 software.
2. Other types of remote databases? Other types of remote databases? Z39.50 is not just for searching library online catalogs. It can also be used to search remote databases. A good example of this is the Arts and Humanities Data Service AHDS Gateway (http://prospero.ahds.ac.uk:8080/ahds_live/) which uses Z39.50 to query five different databases located in five different locations. The databases involved contain information on archaeology, history, performance arts, visual arts, and literature.
If your institution answered yes to questions one and/or two above it will want to implement a Z39.50 client.
In addition, the institution needs to ask itself if it wants to provide access with Z39.50 software to either its:
1. Local databases? As the Z39.50 software becomes more frequently used, more and more libraries and other institutions will provide access to local databases such as ERIC or Sociological Abstracts using Z39.50 software.
2. Own online catalog? Many libraries and institutions have Z39.50 software built into their current public access catalog. An example of this is the INNOPAC Z39.50 server on library catalog at University of North Texas Libraries available at http://library.unt.edu:211/z39/LOCAL.
If the organization answered yes to either question one or two above, then it will want to install a Z39.50 server. It should be understood that an organization can install both a Z-client and Z-server. Or an organization can choose to install only a Z-client or only a Z-server. It all depends on what services the institution plans to offer its clientele.
Along with deciding what to do with their Z39.50 software, the will need to know if the Z39.50 product they have purchased comes with both a Z-client and/or a Z-server. Some vendors like Blue Angel Technologies Inc. (http://www.blueangeltech.com/) offer software that comes with both a Z-client and a Z-server. Some software like BookWhere (http://www.bookwhere.com/) offer only a Z-client. If an institution wants to offer remote access to its databases using Z39.50 software but has purchased only a Z-client it is not going to be able to offer this service.
The institution will have also have to find out if a Z-client and/or Z-server is already part of their online system. Many OPACs these days come with a Z-client and/or Z-server built into their integrated library system.
But just because a Z-client and/or Z-server is part of an integrated library system doesn’t mean it is automatically the best Z-client or Z-server for the organization. The cost of implementing Z39.50 software is another issue institutions will want to investigate. Turning on Z-client on an integrated system may be more expensive than purchasing a separate Z-client for remote searching. And the separate Z-client may satisfy the needs of local users just as well as the integrated Z-client.
The organization will next want to find out how easy it is to set up and configure the
software. One of the most common problems encountered with the implementation of Z39.50
software is being able to configure the client to interoperate with a server and vice a
versa. In many cases configuring a server or client can be a difficult, tedious, and a
time-consuming process. Many configuration problems are the results of poor or
insufficient documentation.
The institution also needs to know what version of Z39.50 it wants to use. The version of
the Z-client and Z-server can effect interoperability. For example, version 3 is the
latest version of Z39.50 software, and it allows for special features like
"scan" or "sort". It is important to know that version 3 is downwardly
compatible with version 2 but that the opposite is not true.
An important question that an organization needs to ask concerns how the Z39.50 client or server was configured. Institutions need to know if the Z-client or Z-server was already configured to support the profile they want to use. And if it was not configured (which right now is a typical scenario) they will need to know if the version of the z-software they are using supports the profile they also want to use. For instance if an institution is using a version 2 server and wants to be able to sort records, the institution will quickly discover that is not possible.
And finally, the organization will want to know if their Z39.50 software will be offering additional features in the future. While some vendors may only offer a client or server at this time, many are planning to add to other options and features in the future. But it is important to remember that release dates in the volatile world of software development often get pushed back. So if an organization really needs a feature it may be wiser to go with a vendor who already offers the desired feature.