ApacheDS status and future

[Richard Evans <ri...@datanomic.com>]

Hi

We're looking at embedding ApacheDS into our java application, but I'm a bit concerned as to the status of the project. 

The last release was over a year ago and whilst this seems very functional, I get the impression that major changes are in the pipeline - discarding XML based configuration, for example. 

So is this the right time to start embedding?  Is a new release due shortly? Will the online documentation get improved?  What is the status of the triplesec stuff - there is a link to this on the front page but I can't see it anywhere in svn.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great project, I just need to know what to do with it.

Thanks

Richard Evans

Re: ApacheDS status and future

[Emmanuel Lecharny <el...@gmail.com>]

On 5/9/11 1:39 PM, Richard Evans wrote:
> Hi

Hi,
> We're looking at embedding ApacheDS into our java application, but I'm a bit concerned as to the status of the project.
Valid point :) Let's try to see what's going on.
> The last release was over a year ago and whilst this seems very functional, I get the impression that major changes are in the pipeline - discarding XML based configuration, for example.
Right. We decided to go with OSGi, because it opens many doors, for 
instance. We also decided that Spring was not the right solution, and 
that a LDIF based configuration was easier to manage, including when you 
want to modify the server config without having to restart it.

Nevertheless, the LDAP part is still offering the very same features 
that it was before. We are just polishing some others and also add some 
new important ones:
- pluggable elements
- multi-master replication
- disaster recovery system

> So is this the right time to start embedding?  Is a new release due shortly?
We expect to go for quicker releases soon. The 1.0/1.5 etc release 
schema was probably not a good idea, and we now are moving toward a 
2.0.0-M1 release in the next 2 months. The idea is to be able to go for 
very fast release (like once a month) with each release offering some 
new feature (a bit à la eclipse).
> Will the online documentation get improved?
Well, hmmm, this is an open source project, and it's difficult to get 
the doco written by coders... :/
> What is the status of the triplesec stuff - there is a link to this on the front page but I can't see it anywhere in svn.
It has been moved to a dormant status atm. We simply don't have time to 
kiss it and wake him up atm. But as soon as the underlying pieces are in 
a decent shape (ie 2.0.0-RC1), then TSec will probably be revived.
> Don't get me wrong, this is a great project, I just need to know what to do with it.

It's really up to you.  We can't make any promise, we ca just say we are 
working hard to get a release out this year.

Also keep in mind that ApacheDS is not only about the server : we also 
have released a LDAP API last week, and we have to get it polished at 
the same time (this API is internally used by the server). We also have 
heavy developements going on on Studio.

Lots of work for a bright future hopefully !


-- 
Regards,
Cordialement,
Emmanuel Lécharny
www.iktek.com