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+# Open Cluster Framework (OCF)
+
+## What is the OCF?
+
+The Open Cluster Framework (OCF) is a collection of open standards for
+high-availability (HA) clustering.
+
+The only standard currently in active use is:
+
+* The OCF Resource Agent API provides a layer of abstraction between cluster
+ software and the services managed by the cluster.
+
+## Who is the OCF?
+
+The OCF is maintained and distributed by
+[ClusterLabs](https://www.clusterlabs.org/), a community hub for open-source,
+high-availability clustering software.
+
+## What is the history of the OCF?
+
+In the early 2000s, open-source, high-availability clustering software was in
+its infancy, and there were various implementations. Each needed to do things
+like start and stop cluster-managed services, and each implemented this
+functionality on its own.
+
+To reduce that duplication of effort, the OCF Project was formed, spearheaded
+by Linux HA project developers Alan Robertson and Lars Marowsky-Brée, and
+unveiled at the Ottawa Linux Symposium in July 2001. (1)
+
+The original goal was ambitious: create a set of APIs for all functionality
+needed by both high-availability and high-performance-computing clusters,
+provide a reference implementation, and get all open source projects on board.
+The OCF became an official Working Group of the Free Standards Group.
+
+However, by the end of the decade, the situation had changed. The Free
+Standards Group had been absorbed into the Linux Foundation, and the "working
+group" ceased to exist. The field of open source HA had been winnowed to a few
+projects. The high-performance computing community went its own way, and of the
+APIs, only the resource agent standard was in active use.
+
+The narrower focus strengthened the community. At a 2015 summit (2),
+participants agreed to consolidate efforts under the banner of ClusterLabs,
+which took on maintenance of the OCF standards.
+
+(1) ["Introducing the Open Cluster Framework", Linux Journal, Sept. 3, 2002](https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6143)
+
+(2) ["HA Cluster Summit 2015", plan.alteeva.ca](http://plan.alteeve.ca/index.php/HA_Cluster_Summit_2015)
+
+## How is this repository organized?
+
+The repository has these subdirectories:
+
+* concepts: Some background on clustering
+* historical: Standards and implementations no longer used or maintained
+* ra: OCF Resource Agent API
+ * ra/_number_: A particular (official or draft) version of the standard
+ * resource-agent-api.md: The standard
+ * ra-metadata-example.xml: Example resource agent meta-data (informational
+ only, not part of the standard)
+ * ra-api.rng: RelaxNG schema for validating resource agent meta-data
+ * ra/latest: Symbolic link to latest official version
+ * ra/next: Proposed changes that have not made it into a specific draft yet
+
+## How are the standards maintained?
+
+The standards are maintained in a
+[Github repository](https://github.com/ClusterLabs/OCF-spec).
+
+Changes are proposed and discussed via pull requests to the repository.
+Topics related to the OCF may also be discussed on the
+[users@clusterlabs.org](https://lists.clusterlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/users) and
+[developers@clusterlabs.org](https://lists.clusterlabs.org/mailman/listinfo/developers)
+mailing lists.

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