Variant entries in network data repositories

• US 20080256020A1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apertio Ltd. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Apertio Ltd. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wakefield, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4517 using open systems interconnection [OSI] directories, e.g. X.500
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A logical network directory database compliant with the X.500 standard for a directory data system is disclosed. The network directory database provides a source of subscriber and service data accessible by various control and management processes that require subscriber information. The network directory database may be extensible across various communications service providers and IT domain. Further, the disclosed network directory database may be applied to new and existing services, such as, IP Multimedia Subsystem, Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) and other IP services.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data in a directory on behalf of a requesting entity, comprising:

Receiving a data request to perform an action on data in an attribute of a first entry at a first location in the directory provided by the requesting entity, wherein data for the attribute requested in the data request resides in a second entry at a second location in the directory;

Deriving the second location in the directory for the data in the attribute of the data request using information associated with the first entry, wherein the derivation is performed at a point of access to/from a data storage mechanism for the directory; and

Finding the data in the attribute of the data request at the second entry using the derived second location; and

Performing the action on the data at the derived second location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory resides on a plurality of directory servers and wherein deriving the second location in the directory, further comprises:

Chaining the data request to another directory server of the plurality of directory servers that contains a portion of the directory having the second entry.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the action on the data at the derived second location, further comprises:

Receiving a result from the second entry, wherein the result includes input information; and

Performing a second action on data at a third entry using the input information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data request further includes another action on data in another attribute of a third entry at a third location in the directory, wherein data for the another attribute resides in a fourth entry at a fourth location in the directory, the method further comprising:

Deriving the fourth location in the directory for the data in the another attribute of the data request using information associated with the third entry, wherein the derivation is performed at a point of access to/from a data storage mechanism for the directory; and

Finding the data in the another attribute of the data request at the fourth entry using the derived fourth location; and

Performing the action on the data at the derived fourth location.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the third entry equals the first entry and the third location equals the first location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data request further includes another action on data in another attribute of the first entry at the first location in the directory, wherein data for the another attribute resides in the first entry at the first location in the directory, the method further comprising:

Performing the action on the data at the another attribute of the first entry;

Reporting to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the attribute at the first location and that the another action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the report is configured such that the requesting entity receives no information about the derived second location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

Reporting to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information about the derived second location.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the requesting entity expects the data of the data request to have a first format and wherein the data in the second entry has a second format, the method further comprising:

Reporting to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the data, wherein the report characterizes the data in terms of the first format.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

Executing an equation to convert the data in the second entry from the second format to the first format.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second location is inaccessible directly by the requesting entity.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the first entry for deriving the second location comprises variant rules associated with the attribute, the method further comprising:

Examining a data file to find the variant rules associated with the attribute.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first entry includes another attribute that indicates that the data of the data request resides in the second entry, the method further comprising:

Examining the another attribute to find the indication that the data of the data request resides in the second entry, wherein finding the indication engages the step of deriving the second location.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the indication in the another attribute identifies that the attribute is a variant objectclass.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

Examining a data file to find the indication that the data of the data request resides in the second entry, wherein finding the indication engages the step of deriving the second location.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

Receiving a request to perform another action on data of another attribute in a first entry stored in the directory at a first location, wherein data for the another attribute requested in the data request resides in a third entry at a third location in the directory;

Deriving the third location in the directory for the data of the another attribute requested using information associated with the first entry, wherein the derivation is performed at a point of access to/from an data storage mechanism; and

Finding the data for the another attribute requested using the derived third location;

Performing the requested action on the data at the derived third location; and

Reporting to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information that the attribute and the another attribute are stored at different locations in the directory.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein information associated with the first entry comprises contextual information, the method further comprising examining the contextual information associated with the first entry.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the contextual information relates to a time of day, the method further comprising determining a time of day associated with the request to perform the action.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the data storage mechanism resides in a server that resides in a network comprising a plurality of tiered servers, the method further comprising:

Transmitting the request to perform the action to the server associated with the data storage mechanism within the network comprising a plurality of tiered servers.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein requests to perform actions are received in accordance with at least one of the LDAP and DAP protocols.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein reports to the requesting entity are configured in accordance with at least one of the LDAP and DAP protocols.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the requesting entity is one of a client application, an end user, or a directory server attempting to complete a data request, the method further comprising preparing reports sent to the requesting entity in a format accessible to the requesting entity.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the requesting entity implements a client application comprising one of Home Location Register (HLR), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Voicemail system, Authentication, Authorization and Accounting system (AAA), Mobile Number Portability (MNP), the method further comprising communicating with the client application using a native data protocol for the client application.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the action is one of a read or a write, the method further comprising completing the action.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reviewing the data request received from the requesting entity and determining if the data request should be modified based on adaptation data;

modifying the data request to comprise at least one revised data request based on the adaptation data prior to deriving the second location in the directory.

27. A system for accessing data in a directory on behalf of a requesting entity, comprising:

A data request receiver configured to receive a data request to perform an action on data in an attribute of a first entry at a first location in the directory provided by the requesting entity, wherein data for the attribute requested in the data request resides in a second entry at a second location in the directory;

A location deriver configured to derive the second location in the directory for the data in the attribute of the data request using information associated with the first entry, wherein the location deriver performs the derivation at a point of access to/from a data storage mechanism for the directory; and

A read/update module configured to find the data in the attribute of the data request at the second entry using the derived second location and perform the action on the data at the derived second location.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the directory resides on a plurality of directory servers and wherein the location deriver is configured to determine that the location for data in the directory resides on another directory server in the plurality of directory servers, the system further comprising:

A chaining module configured to chain the data request to another directory server of the plurality of directory servers that contains a portion of the directory having the second entry.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the read/update module is further configured to receive a result from the second entry at the derived second location, wherein the result includes input information, and wherein the read/update module is further configured to perform a second action on data at a third entry using the input information.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the data request further includes another action on data in another attribute of a third entry at a third location in the directory, wherein data for the another attribute resides in a fourth entry at a fourth location in the directory, wherein the location deriver is further configured to derive the fourth location in the directory for the data in the another attribute of the data request using information associated with the third entry and wherein the read/update module is further configured to find the data in the another attribute of the data request at the fourth entry using the derived fourth location and perform the action on the data at the derived fourth location.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the third entry equals the first entry and the third location equals the first location.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the data request further includes another action on data in another attribute of the first entry at the first location in the directory, wherein data for the another attribute resides in the first entry at the first location in the directory, wherein the read/update module is further configured to perform the action on the data at the another attribute of the first entry and report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the attribute at the first location and that the another action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the read/update module prepares the report such that the requesting entity receives no information about the derived second location.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the read/update module is further configured to report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information about the derived second location.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the requesting entity expects the data of the data request to have a first format and wherein the data in the second entry has a second format, wherein the read/update module is further configured to report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the data in terms of the first format.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the read/update module is further configured to execute an equation to convert the data in the second entry from the second format to the first format.

37. The system of claim 27 wherein the second location is inaccessible directly by the requesting entity except through the location deriver.

38. The system of claim 27 wherein the information associated with the first entry for deriving the second location comprises variant rules associated with the attribute, wherein the data request receiver is further configured to examine a data file to find the variant rules associated with the attribute.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein the first entry includes another attribute that indicates that the data of the data request resides in the second entry, wherein the location deriver is further configured to examine the another attribute to find the indication that the data of the data request resides in the second entry.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein location deriver is configured to determine that the indication in the another attribute identifies the attribute as of a variant objectclass.

41. The system of claim 27 wherein the location deriver s further configured to examine a data file to find the indication that the data of the data request resides in the second entry.

42. The system of claim 27 wherein the data request receiver is further configured to receive a request from the requesting entity to perform another action on data of another attribute in the first entry stored in the directory, wherein data for the another attribute requested in the data request resides in a third entry at a third location in the directory and wherein the location deriver is further configured to derive the third location in the directory for the data of the another attribute requested using information associated with the first entry, and wherein the read/update module is further configured to find the data for the another attribute requested using the derived third location, perform the requested action on the data at the derived third location, and report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information that the attribute and the another attribute are stored at different locations in the directory.

43. The system of claim 27 wherein information associated with the first entry comprises contextual information, wherein the location deriver is further configured to examine the contextual information associated with the first entry.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the contextual information relates to a time of day, wherein the location deriver is further configured to determine a time of day associated with the request to perform the action.

45. The system of claim 27 wherein the data storage mechanism resides in a server that resides in a network comprising a plurality of tiered servers, the system further comprising:

A chaining module configured to transmit the request to perform the action to the server associated with the data storage mechanism within the network comprising a plurality of tiered servers.

46. The system of claim 27 wherein requests to perform actions are received in accordance with at least one of the LDAP and DAP protocols and wherein the data request receiver is further configured to process requests in at least one of the LDAP and DAP protocols.

47. The system of claim 27 wherein the read/update module is configured to send reports to the requesting entity configured in accordance with at least one of the LDAP and DAP protocols.

48. The system of claim 27 wherein the requesting entity is one of a client application, an end user, or a directory server attempting to complete a data request, wherein the read/update module is further configured to send reports to the requesting entity in a format accessible to the requesting entity.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the requesting entity implements a client application comprising one of Home Location Register (HLR), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a Voicemail system, Authentication, Authorization and Accounting system (AAA), Mobile Number Portability (MNP), wherein the data request receiver is further configured to communicate with the client application using a native data protocol for the client application.

50. The system of claim 27 wherein the action is one of a read or a write, wherein the read/update module is further configured to perform at least one of a read and a write.

51. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

A protocol adaptation module configured to review the data request received from the requesting entity, determine if the data request should be modified based on adaptation data, and modify the data request to comprise at least one revised data request based on the adaptation data prior to deriving the second location in the directory.

52. A system for accessing data on behalf of a requesting entity, comprising:

A directory comprising a plurality of data entries wherein at least one data entry comprises a variant data entry configured to have an attribute configured to have a rule for deriving a location for its data in a second data entry in the directory;

A directory operations server, collocated with the directory, and configured to receive a request to perform an action on the attribute in the variant entry, derive a location for the data in the second data entry in the directory using the rule for deriving the location for the data, and further configured to find the data for the attribute requested using the derived second location.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the directory operations server is further configured to report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information about the derived second location.

54. The system of claim 52 wherein the directory operations server is further configured to:

receive a request to perform another action on data of another attribute in a first entry stored in the directory at a first location, wherein data for the another attribute requested in the data request resides in a third entry at a third location in the directory;

derive the third location in the directory for the data of the another attribute requested using information associated with the first entry, wherein the derivation is performed at a point of access to/from an data storage mechanism;

find the data for the another attribute requested using the derived third location;

perform the requested action on the data at the derived third location; and

report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information that the attribute and the another attribute are stored at different locations in the directory.

55. The system of claim 52 wherein the request to perform the action further comprises another request to perform an action on data of another attribute in the first entry stored in the directory at the first location, wherein the directory operations server is further configured to:

Perform the another requested action on data of the another attribute; and

Report to the requesting entity that the action has been performed on the another attribute at the first location, such that the requesting entity receives no information that the attribute and the another attribute are stored at different locations in the directory.

56. The system of claim 52 wherein information associated with the first entry is found in an objectclass attribute of the first entry, and wherein the directory operations server is further configured to examine the objectclass attribute of the first entry.

57. The system of claim 52 wherein the directory operations server resides in a network comprising a plurality of tiered servers and wherein a portion of the directory resides in another directory operation server in the network, the directory operations server further configured to transmit the request to perform the action to the another directory operations server.

58. The system of claim 52 wherein a portion of the directory resides in another directory operations server in a network, and wherein the directory operations server is further configured to chain to the another directory operations server to complete the requested action.