LDAP to SQL Proxy for Directory Service Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in integrating disparate computer system components that operate with different protocols, such as SQL and LDAP, leading to inefficiencies and increased overhead when trying to share data stores across these incompatible systems.
Innovation Solution
An LDAP to SQL proxy module is introduced to adapt relational databases as directory services for LDAP clients, maintaining persistent connections and transforming LDAP queries into SQL queries, thereby facilitating integration with existing SQL databases without altering their schema, and optimizing resource usage by only supporting necessary operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If back-sql proxies an SQL database for LDAP access, then LDAP clients can access SQL databases, but the system incurs more overhead and performs more work than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a simplified LDAP-to-SQL proxy that acts as an intermediary between LDAP clients and SQL databases. This proxy translates LDAP queries into SQL queries and translates SQL results into LDAP format, enabling protocol compatibility while minimizing overhead by implementing only the necessary translation functionality rather than a full LDAP directory service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential query translation functionality needed to bridge LDAP and SQL protocols, rather than implementing a complete LDAP directory service. This extraction approach allows the system to provide protocol compatibility while performing minimal work, thereby reducing computational overhead and resource consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If back-sql uses a predefined LDAP schema, then LDAP access is provided, but storage and resources are duplicated
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy acts as an intermediary that translates queries rather than maintaining a separate LDAP data copy. It connects LDAP clients to the existing SQL database, translating LDAP queries into SQL queries that query the existing data, thereby providing LDAP access capability without duplicating the actual data storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the LDAP interface that maps to the existing SQL database schema. Instead of physically copying data to an LDAP structure, it creates a translation layer that presents LDAP-compatible query interfaces while querying the original SQL database, thus avoiding data duplication while maintaining access capability.
3Loss of energy
If a simple LDAP to SQL proxy is implemented, then overhead is reduced, but integration complexity must be managed
Solution Approach 1:
The simplified proxy serves as an intermediary that handles the integration complexity internally through automated query translation. It manages the complexity of coordinating between LDAP and SQL protocols, connection pooling, and result transformation, while presenting a simple interface to both LDAP clients and the existing SQL database, thereby reducing resource overhead while containing integration complexity within the proxy itself.
Data Source
AI summary
An LDAP to SQL proxy to adapt a relational database as a directory service for an LDAP client is provided. The database may be defined in accordance with a database schema which is external to an LDAP server serving the LDAP client. The proxy comprises LDAP to SQL query and response mappings preferably for a reduced set of LDAP operations. The proxy may comprise a mechanism to maintain a plurality of persistent database connections to reduce query processing overhead. The proxy may further be adapted to maintain persistent connections to each of at least two alternative databases for executing queries to provide enhanced failsafe operations. A plurality of LDAP to SQL proxied databases may be configured for sharing query loads to enhance scalability and performance.