FTP Mirror Tracker: First Steps Towards URN

FTP Mirror Tracker is a software package (written in Perl and C++) that enables transparent, user-controlled redirection to the nearest anonymous FTP mirror sites that are exact replicas of the original source. This redirection can be achieved by using a Web Cache server or by making HTTP requests to the FTP Mirror Tracker directly. The Mirror Tracker also has internal URN support and can be used as a URN resolver for FTP requests. Underlying the system is a MySQL database recording FTP mirror site details. In this report we explain how this database is constructed, and show how it may be used - directly by end users, and under the policy based control of Web Cache and mirror service administrators.