Network repository for metadata

A data repository comprising:na memory configured to store data for the data repository, the data stored in the data repository including one or more data content items, each data content item being associated with zero or more metadata items, wherein each data content item is associated with a handle and wherein each metadata item is associated with an attribute name, the handle of each data content item in the data repository being an integer value having a fixed format and the attribute name of each metadata item in the data repository being an integer value having a fixed format, the memory being configured to store a plurality of different formats of data in the data repository for a plurality of client devices, the data repository including an assigned hierarchy of the integer values of attribute names for categories of metadata, wherein;neach category of metadata is assigned a range of integer values for attribute names, andthe hierarchy includes a plurality of levels of categories;a network interface configured to communicate with the plurality of client devices including a first client device and a second client device; anda control unit configured to control the storage of data in the memory, wherein the control unit provides functions for writing data to and reading data from the memory, wherein the control unit is configured to handle and transfer the data without interpretation of the data and without knowledge of the content or format of the data stored using the integer values of the handle of each data content item and the attribute name of each metadata item, wherein the control unit allows for the first client device to access metadata items in the data repository in a first format and a second client device to access metadata items in the data repository in a second format.

A network device comprising:na network interface configured to communicate with a network data repository, the network data repository holding a set of content data and metadata as opaque data, each data content item being associated with a handle and each metadata item being associated with an attribute name, the handle of each data content item in the network data repository being an integer value having a fixed format and the attribute name of each metadata item in the network data repository being an integer value, the memory being configured to store a plurality of different formats of data for a plurality of client devices, the network data repository including an assigned hierarchy of the integer values for the attribute names for categories of metadata, wherein:neach category of metadata is assigned a range of integer values for attribute names, andthe hierarchy includes a plurality of levels of categories;a network unit configured to control access to the network data repository, the network unit to provide database functions for the set of content data and metadata without knowledge of the content or format of the utilizing the integer values of the content handles and the metadata attribute names, wherein the network unit operates to allow a first client device to access metadata items in the network data repository in a first format and a second client device to access metadata items in the network data repository in a second format; anda cache memory to store one or more metadata items from the network data repository.

A network comprising:na first network device containing a database, the database configured to contain a plurality of data content items, each data content item having zero or more associated metadata items, the first network device configured to hold the data content items and metadata items as opaque data, the database including an assigned hierarchy of attribute names for categories of metadata, each data content item being associated with a handle and each metadata item being associated with an attribute name, the handle of each data content item in the database being an integer value having a fixed format and the attribute name of each metadata item in the database being an integer value having a fixed format, the memory being configured to store a plurality of different formats of data for a plurality of client devices, the network data repository including an assigned hierarchy of attribute names for categories of metadata, wherein:neach category of metadata is assigned a range of integer values for attribute names, andthe hierarchy includes a plurality of levels of categories;a second network device containing a cache memory to cache one or more metadata items from the first network device, the second network device being configured to provide data access to the data contained in the database, the second network device providing access to the data for a plurality of client devices without knowledge of the content or format of the data utilizing the integer values of the handles of the content data and the attribute names of the metadata; anda third network device, wherein the second network device is configured to access metadata having a first format in the database and the third network device is configured to access metadata having a second format in the database.

A method comprising:nstoring data in a data repository, the data including a plurality of content data items, each content data item being associated with zero or more metadata items, storing data in the data repository including storing a plurality of different formats of data for a plurality of client devices,associating each content data item with a handle and associating each metadata item with an attribute name, the handle of each data content item in the data repository being an integer value having a fixed format and the attribute name of each metadata item in the data repository being an integer value having a fixed format, the data repository including an assigned hierarchy of attribute names for categories of metadata, wherein:neach category of metadata is assigned a range of integer values for attribute names, andthe hierarchy includes a plurality of levels of categories; andproviding access to the data by a plurality of client devices without interpretation of the content or format of the data utilizing the integer values of the handles of the content data and the attribute names of the metadata, wherein a first client device accesses metadata items in the data repository in a first format and a second client device accesses metadata items in the data repository in a second format.