[OPEN-ILS-DEV] NCIP

[Robert Walsh]

Hi all,

There are two versions of NCIP - v 1 (technically 1.01) and v 2.  They are different and they are not compatible; a v1 initiator cannot transact with a v2 responder.  Both most be running the same version in order to communicate.  Most of the implementations available today use v1, but at least one implementer has decided to base its first implementation on v2, and that is expected later this year.

Knowing which version to implement depends on with whom you intend to exchange.  If the intent is to exchange messages between Evergreen instances, then either version would work, but Evergreen would need to act as both the initiator and the responder.  If the intent is to communicate between Evergreen and a third party, then the decision would need to be based on what version the other party has implemented.  In the second case, it will also be necessary to decide whether Evergreen acts as initiator or responder, and that decision is based on what sort of transaction is occurring between Evergreen and the other system.  For self-service applications, Evergreen is likely to be the responder.  For resource sharing applications, Evergreen's role depends on whether it is generating a request to another system (in which case it is the initiator) or fulfilling a request from another system (in which case it is the responder).

From NISO's perspective, the preference would be for new implementations to be version 2.  To be maximally interoperable in today's environment, though, starting with version 1 may provide better ROI.  Ultimately, though, a version 2 implementation will be necessary as more implementers add version 2 support. 

Rob Walsh
EnvisionWare, Inc.
NCIP Maintenance Agency


On Jan 18, 2010, at 8:27 PM, David Fiander wrote:

> The short answer is, "No." The slightly longer answer is, I looked at
> it a bit a few years ago, but, no.
> 
> There's a new version of NCIP that's just coming out (or just came
> out), that takes advantage of the implementation experience of the
> years since the first version came out. We'd have to figure out how
> different it was, and which version to implement, if they're
> different.
> 
> - David
> 
> On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 20:13, Grant Johnson <fgjohnson at upei.ca> wrote:
>> 
>> Anyone working on connectivity to evergreen item status via the NCIP
>> protocol?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> F. Grant Johnson
>>  Systems Coordinator
>>  Robertson Library, University of Prince Edward Island
>>  902-566-0630(w),  902-393-4920(c)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>