03-04-2025: Working Group on Remote Storage

Date

Jan 14, 2025

Agenda

• Housekeeping (5-min.)

• Planning Topics for Future Meetings

Homework and Pre-Reads

• None!

Useful Resources

Recording

https://recordings.openlibraryfoundation.org/folio/implementation-group/2025-01-14T10:55/

Attendees

Notes

🗣️ Discussion Points:

1. Introduction and Purpose (11:00 - 11:05):

   • Details: Thomas initiated the meeting by explaining its purpose: to address concerns related to remote storage and to structure future meetings. He mentioned that this meeting is an extension of a previous discussion held at the Director Impermanence group about remote storage. The goal was to gather specific issues and gaps people are experiencing with remote storage systems and to form a working group to address these concerns.

2. Remote Storage Modules (11:05 - 11:10):

   • Details: Thomas outlined the three modules involved in remote storage: the remote storage module itself, and the connectors for Dematic and Kiasoft. He noted that there are different workflows for these systems, which may necessitate separate discussions or meetings to address specific issues related to each system. The idea was to determine whether meetings should be split based on the workflows impacting Dematic and Kiasoft directly or keep everything together.

3. Issues with Remote Storage (11:10 - 11:20):

   • Details: Ken shared that Georgia Southern University is looking to implement Folio with Dematic ARC storage. He expressed gratitude for the work done by others who have been using remote storage with Folio for about two years, as it helps new implementers understand potential issues. Wayne and Sarah discussed integration challenges with Kiasoft and Dematic, highlighting the need for better documentation and support for these systems.

4. Documentation and Liaison (11:20 - 11:30):

   • Details: Wilhelmina suggested that the group should have a liaison to update remote storage documentation, which is outdated. Darcy volunteered to help with documentation, particularly for Kiasoft, noting that existing documentation is insufficient. The discussion included the idea of having a maintainer for each documentation page and gathering feedback internally before updating the documentation.

5. Technical Specifications and Messaging Protocols (11:30 - 11:40):

   • Details: Lev and Buddy emphasized the need for Edge-damatic to handle all EMS messages according to Dematic's technical specifications. They discussed the importance of retooling the TCP/IP portion to fully support EMS messaging through TCP/IP. The conversation included the possibility of pooling resources to fund programming efforts to improve Edge-damatic's functionality.

6. Workflow and System Integration (11:40 - 11:50):

   • Details: Thomas and Wayne discussed the push vs. pull models for remote storage workflows. Thomas explained that Cornell's system uses a pull model where Kiasoft initiates the accession process, while Dematic systems typically use a push model where Folio initiates the process. This difference in workflows impacts how libraries manage their remote storage systems and may require different approaches to integration.

7. Accessioning and Messaging Reliability (11:50 - 12:00):

   • Details: David and Buddy discussed issues with null barcodes and the need for reliable messaging between Folio and Dematic. David highlighted the importance of inventory deletes, especially during large weeding projects. Sarah suggested more granular control over messages sent to Dematic, including filtering messages based on specific criteria to avoid sending unnecessary or incorrect data.