Re: Mysql as a backend for LDAP

["Jesse W. Asher" <jasher1@tampabay.rr.com>]

Not really.  LDAP is not geared for a heavy write environment - it's geared
for applications that are light on writes and heavy on reads.  LDAP is not
a replacement for relational databases - it's just another method of getting
data to people that need the data.  You can also do a heck of a lot more
things with a relational database (or an object/relational database) than
you can with LDAP in terms of manipulating/messaging data in an _efficient
fashion_.  Because of this, businesses still need to run some kind of relational
database to store their data in and that means using a database as a backend
and LDAP as a front end to that don't.

Also, don't get confused with LDAP as a protocol and LDAP as a data store.
 You can store your data in whatever, wherever, and however you like and
still deliver it via LDAP.  That was exactly the point.  A lot of people
tend to view LDAP as a data store and that is not what LDAP is all about.
 LDAP is mostly about data delivery - not data storage.  A prime example
of this is Netscape's directory server which used to (I'm not sure if they
still do) use Sybase as the data repository.  

Andrew Tristan wrote:
> Oddly, I frequently use the same reason to argue for putting data in
> ldap rather than oracle or mysql.  The fact that ldap is based on open
> standards while rdbms aren't (last I took the time to look, anyway)
> seems to me to weigh heavily in ldap's favor.
> Best,
> Andrew
>
> -- On Sep 27,  4:52pm, "Jesse W. Asher" wrote:
> > Subject: Re: Mysql as a backend for LDAP
> >
> > > Yes, but you don't want to.  Why does everyone keep thinking using an
> > > RDBMS as a backend to LDAP is a good idea?  And mysql no less...  I
> > > might be able to understand Oracle, DB2, etc...  If you don't understand
> > > why this is a terrible idea please go read the FAQ entry about this.
> > >
> > >     
> > Why?  Because having the data in a relational backend allows one to use 
> > that same data for many other things.  My philosophy is to do my best to 
> > have as few data sources as possible and to minimize the number of 
> > places that data must be maintained.    Having this data in a database 
> > has a LOT of advantages.
> >
> >   
> -- End of excerpt from "Jesse W. Asher" --

-- 
Jesse W. Asher

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary
safety, deserve neither liberty or safety."  - Benjamin Franklin