Directory Data Resolution via Cached Group Membership Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current directory technologies face challenges in determining group membership efficiently, leading to increased processing time and overhead due to the need to traverse multiple levels of groups and load unnecessary entries into memory, and the burden of refreshing group membership and cache data structures on directory servers.
Innovation Solution
The proposed techniques involve caching a list of identified users, distribution lists, and groups associated with a group membership map, allowing for efficient traversal of hierarchical directory data, using cached entries when available and querying the directory server only when necessary, and detecting circular group relationships to ensure data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If directory data services traverse multiple levels of groups to identify members, then group membership resolution is achieved, but processing time and overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-resolving group membership relationships and caching the results before they are needed. When a user needs to be checked for group membership, the cached pre-computed results are used instead of traversing the entire hierarchical directory structure in real-time, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining resolution accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the directory data in a cache structure that mirrors the hierarchical group relationships. This cached copy allows rapid retrieval of group membership information without repeatedly querying the full directory database, enabling fast membership resolution while reducing the time and overhead of traversing multiple group levels.
2Reliability
If all groups and users are loaded into memory during traversal, then complete group membership information is obtained, but memory overhead and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary group membership information needed for resolution from the complete directory structure. Instead of loading all groups and users into memory, the patent selectively retrieves and caches only the relevant membership relationships, reducing memory overhead while maintaining complete and accurate group membership information for the required resolution operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the directory data into manageable units and loads them into the cache structure in an organized manner. The hierarchical group relationships are divided into discrete, cacheable units that can be selectively loaded only when needed, rather than loading the entire directory database into memory at once, thus reducing overall memory overhead while preserving information completeness.
3Reliability
If group membership and cache data structures are refreshed frequently, then data accuracy is maintained, but directory server load increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously or frequently refreshing group membership and cache data structures, the system uses periodic action with extended refresh intervals. The cache is updated at predetermined periods or when significant changes are detected in the directory, maintaining data accuracy while dramatically reducing the frequency of server queries and the associated load on the directory server, thereby improving throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the cache automatically detects when data needs refreshing and handles the refresh process autonomously. The cache monitors its own expiration status and initiates refresh operations only when necessary, reducing unnecessary queries to the directory server and maintaining data accuracy without imposing continuous refresh burdens on the server, thus improving overall productivity.
4Productivity
If cached directory entries are used, then performance and throughput are improved, but data freshness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic cache management where the system adapts the balance between using cached entries and querying the directory server based on real-time conditions. The cache validity is dynamically adjusted based on data expiration times, access patterns, and server availability, allowing the system to maximize throughput by using fresh cached data when possible while automatically switching to server queries when data freshness is critical, thus resolving the contradiction between performance and data accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for directory data resolution are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for directory data resolution comprising receiving data identifying one or more groups of interest of a directory server, traversing, using a processor, one or more directory entries contained in hierarchical directory data, the traversal starting at a directory entry corresponding to a current group of interest, reading a first directory entry to identify a member contained in the first directory entry, adding, in the event a member is contained in the first directory entry, the current group of interest to a mapping for the member. The method may also include use of caching and recursion.