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For this implementation, the current DSpace Item object has been used to avoid hardcoding a particular object model. This is in order to be able to have a low barrier to use all the existing functionality in DSpace that already supports the item object for any new entities, such as the submission/workflow process, search, batch import, OAI-PMH, etc.
In order to support multiple objects, the objects are items and can be typed, and relations can be created between items.
The model has similarities with the Portland Common Data Model (PCDM), but is less focused on building a tree structure, and more on building a graph structure as is required for certain object models such as a CRIS object model. Where PCDM is focused on a tree structure with the related object as an addition to include some basic graph-like functionality, this object model starts immediately from the graph concept.
The relations are stored in a separate database table, which is the only change needed to the current DSpace database structure, using foreign keys to the item table to ensure the relations are not broken, and to avoid any data replication.
The implementation of a specific object model is completely configurable, without using specific hardcoded Java classes for the objects used in a specific object model.

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