What's Next for eDirectory?

Novell Cool Solutions: Feature

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Posted: 3 Nov 2004

Some exciting things are in the works for eDirectory, as the best Directory Services keeps getting better. For the full BrainShare presentation on eDirectory Futures (IO151), click here.

Novell eDirectory - Project "Rosalind"

The Rosalind version of eDirectory is planned as version 8.8. The main areas of improvements are: installation and upgrades, data import, priority sync, multi-instance support, encryption, and backup and restore.

Install and Upgrade Enhancements

Data import (bulk load) improvements
Priority sync
Multi-instance support
Backup/restore enhancements
Encrypted attributes
Encrypted replication
SASL GSSAPI support
Case-sensitive password Policies
Fully scriptable install
Alternate data (DIB) location
Supervisor right to [root] of directory no longer required to install server
Service can be run as non-root user
Pre-upgrade health check
Patchable
Installation and updates via Ximian Red Carpet

Data Import Improvements ("Bulk Load")

Selectable options
No schema check is done
Indexing is off
Validity check is skipped
Significant speed improvements

Priority Sync

Used for instant convergence for real-time attributes, such as passwords
Configurable per attribute
Writes changes to all replicas at once
Normal replication process negotiates the rest

Multi Instance Support

Hosts more than one instance of eDirectory on a server
Maximizes high-end host hardware
Opens up new performance configuration option
Requires dedicated IP address per-service instance
More than one tree is allowed per server
Multiple replicas of same tree/partition can be on a single server
To accelerate searches, an interface can be assigned for each partition

New Encryption Options

New attributes can be set to be encrypted
Ensures attribute is encrypted within the DIB
Decryption access is enforced by access control rights
"Read" property right to the encrypted attribute
Replication traffic can be set to be encrypted (on a per-partition basis; per-server basis is being investigated)

Object-based Backup and Restore

LDAP extension - LDAP Search with a contro
Returns the same information the TSA returns
Cross-platform support
Archive bit capability
TSA Wrapper allows backwards compatibility

Novell eDirectory - Project "J.C. Bose"

Here are some of the high-level features of the upcoming J.C. Bose project:

Further Installation improvements
Replication policies
Group enhancements
inetOrgPerson can be a container
Clustered Linux support, clustered Solaris support
LDAP "sounds-like" searches
Federated attributes
Attribute-based ACL values
Optimized referrals - handling referrals across partitions and servers to find data