DB as backend ?

[da...@floripa.com.br]

  Hi,

  I was reading a thread about Apache Directory at TheServerSide :

  http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=32324

  On some messages Alex Karasulu talks about use a database as a backend and
virtual directory on ApacheDS :

  "We hope to have virtual directory capabilities soon. It's just not that hard 
to do once you got the baseline protocols grok'd. Expect to see these
capabilties emerging within a matter of weeks, perhaps as early as 0.9 or 0.10
are released."
  "Richard you can definately do this (use db as a backend) using a custom
partition implementation. Yes you can plug it in. Actually in a few (maybe
couple weeks) we'll release 0.9 which will make it much easier to do so. 
  Eventually though we should be able to introduce some virtual directory
capabilities. Once this is in place you won't have to devise a new custom
backend. Rather you would use mapping tools to map an RDBM schema to a DIT
subtree. The VD engine of the server would do the rest."

  As this message is from March 03, 2005 and it talks about a couple of weeks I
want to ask :

  - any tips on create a custom partition implementation ? What class should I
extend (or interfaces implement) ?
  - any way (on the current sources) to "use mapping tools to map an RDBM schema
to a DIT subtree" ? 
  - are there any virtual directory features on the current (subversion) or
planed to the next release (0.9) ?

  Danilo.

Re: DB as backend ?

[Alex Karasulu <ao...@bellsouth.net>]

danilo@floripa.com.br wrote:

>  Hi,
>
>  I was reading a thread about Apache Directory at TheServerSide :
>
>  http://www.theserverside.com/news/thread.tss?thread_id=32324
>
>  On some messages Alex Karasulu talks about use a database as a backend and
>virtual directory on ApacheDS :
>
>  "We hope to have virtual directory capabilities soon. It's just not that hard 
>to do once you got the baseline protocols grok'd. Expect to see these
>capabilties emerging within a matter of weeks, perhaps as early as 0.9 or 0.10
>are released."
>  "Richard you can definately do this (use db as a backend) using a custom
>partition implementation. Yes you can plug it in. Actually in a few (maybe
>couple weeks) we'll release 0.9 which will make it much easier to do so. 
>  Eventually though we should be able to introduce some virtual directory
>capabilities. Once this is in place you won't have to devise a new custom
>backend. Rather you would use mapping tools to map an RDBM schema to a DIT
>subtree. The VD engine of the server would do the rest."
>
>  As this message is from March 03, 2005 and it talks about a couple of weeks I
>want to ask :
>
>  - any tips on create a custom partition implementation ? What class should I
>extend (or interfaces implement) ?
>  
>
You might want to look at some interfaces like BackingStore and 
ContextPartition in the apachds/trunk/core.  ContextPartition is the 
minimum interface that must be implemented for a custom partition.

>  - any way (on the current sources) to "use mapping tools to map an RDBM schema
>to a DIT subtree" ? 
>  
>
You could do that manually but there are people out there working with 
ApacheDS to make it have VD capabilities.  These abities are not 
presently there now.  I'll give you a heads up when I know more about 
developments.

>  - are there any virtual directory features on the current (subversion) or
>planed to the next release (0.9) ?
>
>  
>
No unfortunately not at this point but keep an eye out. 

Alex