bMighty SMB TechEncyclopedia

(Uniform Resource Name) A name that identifies a resource on the Internet. Unlike URLs, which use network addresses (domain, directory path, file name), URNs use regular words that are protocol and location independent. Providing a higher level of abstraction, URNs are persistent (never change) and require a resolution service similar to the DNS system in order to convert names into real addresses. For the most part, URNs have evolved into XRI identifiers (see XDI). See URI and URL.