VIRTUAL DIRECTORY SERVER CHANGELOG

• US 20130054571A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Sharma, Amit, Wei, Jingjing, Asokkumar, Vasukiammaiyar
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

Techniques for providing a consolidated view of directory changes across different directory servers. In one set of embodiments, a changelog record can be received from a directory server, where the directory server is associated with a proprietary changelog format, and where the changelog record is formatted according to the proprietary changelog format. The received changelog record can then be translated into a virtualized changelog record that is formatted according to a standard changelog format, and the virtualized changelog record can be sent to a consuming client. With this virtualization capability, the client does not need to be concerned with, or even aware of, the proprietary changelog mechanisms/formats that may be used by different directory servers in a multi-server deployment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a plurality of changelog records from a plurality of directory servers, each changelog record being formatted according to a proprietary changelog format associated with the directory server from which the changelog record is received, each directory server being associated with a different proprietary changelog format;

virtualizing, by the computer system, the plurality of changelog records such that the virtualized changelog records are formatted according a standard changelog format; and

returning, by the computer system, the virtualized changelog records.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein virtualizing the plurality of changelog records comprises, for each changelog record:

mapping attributes in the changelog record from the proprietary changelog format to the standard changelog format.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each changelog record identifies a change to a base directory entry maintained by the directory server from which the changelog record is received.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each virtualized changelog record includes:

a first attribute representing an identifier of the virtualized changelog record that is unique to the directory server from which the changelog record is received;

a second attribute identifying the type of change made to the base directory entry;

a third attribute identifying all of the changes made to the base directory entry; and

a fourth attribute identifying the base directory entry.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein each directory server is associated with a changelog adapter executing on the computer system, and wherein the virtualizing of changelog records received from the directory server is performed by the changelog adapter.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein virtualizing the plurality of changelog records comprises, for each changelog record:

adding a new attribute to the changelog record, the new attribute reflecting a name of the changelog adapter.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein virtualizing the plurality of changelog records comprises, for each changelog record:

determining whether the base directory entry is a standalone entry or a shadow entry; and

if the base directory entry is a standalone entry, mapping the fourth attribute of the virtualized changelog record to a distinguished name of the standalone entry.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, if the base directory entry is a shadow entry:

if the second attribute of the virtualized changelog record identifies the type of change as a modify or add attribute operation;

determining a primary entry associated with the shadow entry; and

mapping the fourth attribute of the virtualized changelog record to a distinguished name of the primary entry.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the primary entry associated with the shadow entry comprises:

determining a base adapter associated with the changelog adapter, the base adapter being configured to join the primary entry with the shadow entry to present a single directory entry to a client requesting the primary entry; and

determining the distinguished name of the primary entry from the base adapter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, if a first directory server in the plurality of directory servers is an Active Directory server, changelog records received from the Active Directory server correspond to base directory entries with a uSNChanged attribute, and

wherein virtualizing a changelog record received from the Active Directory server comprises mapping the value of the uSNChanged attribute to the first attribute in the virtualized changelog record.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein virtualizing a changelog record received from the Active Directory server further comprises including all of the attributes in the base directory entry within the third attribute in the virtualized changelog record.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program code executable by a processor, the program code comprising:

code that causes the processor to receive a plurality of changelog records from a plurality of directory servers, each changelog record being formatted according to a proprietary changelog format associated with the directory server from which the changelog record is received, each directory server being associated with a different proprietary changelog format;

code that causes the processor to virtualize the plurality of changelog records such that the virtualized changelog records are formatted according a standard changelog format; and

code that causes the processor to return the virtualized changelog records.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the code that causes the processor to virtualize the plurality of changelog records comprises code that causes the processor to, for each changelog record:

map attributes in the changelog record from the proprietary changelog format to the standard changelog format.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein each changelog record identifies a change to a base directory entry maintained by the directory server from which the changelog record is received.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein each virtualized changelog record includes:

a first attribute representing an identifier of the virtualized changelog record that is unique to the directory server from which the changelog record is received;

a second attribute identifying the type of change made to the base directory entry;

a third attribute identifying all of the changes made to the base directory entry; and

a fourth attribute identifying the base directory entry.

16. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a plurality of changelog records from a plurality of directory servers, each changelog record being formatted according to a proprietary changelog format associated with the directory server from which the changelog record is received, each directory server being associated with a different proprietary changelog format;

virtualize the plurality of changelog records such that the virtualized changelog records are formatted according a standard changelog format; and

return the virtualized changelog records.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein virtualizing the plurality of changelog records comprises, for each changelog record:

mapping attributes in the changelog record from the proprietary changelog format to the standard changelog format.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein each changelog record identifies a change to a base directory entry maintained by the directory server from which the changelog record is received.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein each virtualized changelog record includes:

a first attribute representing an identifier of the virtualized changelog record that is unique to the directory server from which the changelog record is received;

a second attribute identifying the type of change made to the base directory entry;

a third attribute identifying all of the changes made to the base directory entry; and

a fourth attribute identifying the base directory entry.