Re: compatibility issues

["Kurt D. Zeilenga" <Kurt@OpenLDAP.org>]

At 11:17 AM 8/31/99 +0800, John Koh wrote:
>>OpenLDAP 1.x is designed to be U-Mich LDAP 3.3 compatible, so
>>OpenLDAP *should* be compatible with this RADIUS product.  Review
>>their webpage, I notice they use outdated net::LDAPapi perl module.
>>net:LDAPapi is quite compatible with OpenLDAP.
>
>while we are on the compatibility issue, i read somewhere that some
>component of U-Mich LDAP and Netscape Directory Server had
>some compatibility issue. is the problem extended to open LDAP too?

I'm not sure what specifically you are referring to.  In general,
OpenLDAP 1.x behaves like U-Mich LDAP 3.3.  However, there are
differences.

Our interoperability testing showed that the packages (OpenLDAP,
U-Mich, Netscape, others) are actually quite compatible.  There are,
however, significant differences such as which protocols are
supported (LDAPv2, LDAPv2+, LDAPv3) and to what level.  There
are a number of optional features within each protocol.  LDAPv3
also supports extensions.  However, an application which sticks
to required protocol operations is likely to interoperate with
most LDAP servers.

There are, of course, other compatibility issues.  Most LDAP
packages have their own SDKs which have subtle differences.
Though there is an effort to standardize the LDAP SDK which
will be a great help.  Of course, there will always be
interfaces to which the standard doesn't cover.  A portable
application should avoid such interfaces.

....

Kurt