Directory services system and methods with mapping in database tables

• US 7,685,142 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harvey, Richard Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin; Jean B
• Application Number:
  US10/300,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for addressing problems associated with the implementation of directory services, such as X.500 and LDAP, in a SQL environment, particularly problems associated with interrogating database provided to implement directory services in the SQL environment. According to the disclosed method and apparatus, the system is based on the use of tables that may be arranged to have a plurality of columns, so that they support a variety of functions in order to implement directory services, such as X.500 and LDAP. In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of creating one or more SQL commands corresponding to a directory service. In another aspect, the present invention provides a many examples of tables and their function. Many examples of an implementation of directory services using SQL based technology are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of implementing directory services for a relational data base management system using a relational language comprising:

establishing a database in an electronic memory using a plurality of tables, each table having a plurality of rows and columns, said database comprising at least one of each of;

a HIERARCHY table, wherein the HIERARCHY table comprises information regarding one or more relationships between hierarchically-arranged objects in an objected-oriented database;

an OBJECT table, wherein the OBJECT table stores, for each object in the object-oriented database, an attribute type and one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with that object; and

an ATTRIBUTE table, wherein the ATTRIBUTE table defines one or more types of attributes that may be associated with each of the objects in the objected-oriented database;

defining a plurality of relational language commands, each corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of directory services, each service having a corresponding service executing procedure;

selecting one of said plurality of directory services;

applying a process of name resolution to the selected directory service,

executing the procedure corresponding to the selected service, and

building a result comprising an error or search result in response to said executing step;

outputting a result list comprising the built result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the objects is associated with a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) and each of the objects is associated with a Relative Distinguished Name (“

RDN”

), the RDN being unique to each object, and further comprising;

determining a parent object for each of the objects;

storing in the Hierarchy table;

the EID of each of the objects;

the EID of the Parent object (“

Parent EID”

) for each of the objects;

a hierarchical path to each of the objects, the path comprising a list of sequentially-arranged EID'"'"'s; and

the RDN of each of the objects.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein applying a process of name resolution comprises:

obtaining a first Designated Name (“

DN”

) associated with a first object to be located, the DN comprising a list of sequentially arranged RDNs;

locating a first entry in the Hierarchy table, the first entry comprising an RDN equal to a first RDN in the DN;

storing a first EID associated with the first entry; and

locating second entry in the Hierarchy table, the second entry comprising a Parent EID equal to the first EID and an RDN equal to the next RDN in the DN.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in the Hierarchy table:

an alias indicator for each of the objects, the alias indicator indicating that a first object is defined by a second object; and

an alias ID (“

A_EID”

), the A_EID comprising the EID of the second object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the types of attributes is associated with an attribute identifier (“

AID”

); and

further comprising storing in the Attribute table;

each of the types of attributes and the AID of each of the attribute types; and

a syntax associated with each attribute type, the syntax defining a type of searchable treatment for each attribute type.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the types of attributes is associated with an attribute identifier (“

AID”

), and each of the objects is associated with a unique entry ID (“

EID”

), and each of the objects is associated with one or more types of attributes, and further comprising storing in the Object table;

the EID of each of the objects;

the AID of each of each of the one or more types of attributes associated with each of the objects; and

a value for each of the one or more types of attributes associated with each of the objects.

7. A method of implementing directory services as claimed in claim 1 wherein said database comprises a Directory tree, having a plurality of distinguished names (“

DN”

) each comprising one or more relative distinguished names (“

RDN”

), and said step of applying a process of name resolution comprises navigating said directory tree.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

each RDN comprises a unique name associated with an object in a hierarchically-arranged database of objects; and

each DN comprises a list of sequentially-arranged RDN'"'"'s.

9. A method of implementing directory services as claimed in claim 1 wherein said selecting step comprises identifying a specific service and information that is to be returned.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the specified service comprises a read service and the information that is to be returned comprises all types of attributes associated with an object, but no attribute values.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected service comprises a base object search, the base object search comprising:

identifying a base object in the Hierarchy table using a Distinguished Name (“

DN”

) associated with the base object;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) associated with the base object;

locating a first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EID of the base object; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected service comprises a one level search, the one level search comprising:

identifying a first set of objects in the Hierarchy table associated with a first parent object;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) for each object in the first set of objects;

locating the first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EIDs retrieved from the Hierarchy table; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected service comprises a subtree search, the subtree search comprising:

identifying a first set of objects in the Hierarchy table associated with a first path;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) for each object in the first set of objects;

locating the first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EIDs retrieved from the Hierarchy table; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.

14. A system for implementing directory services for a relational data base management system using a relational language comprising:

means for establishing a database in an electronic memory using a plurality of tables, each table having a plurality of rows and columns, said database comprising at least one of each of;

a HIERARCHY table, wherein the HIERARCHY table comprises information regarding one or more structural relationships between hierarchically-arranged objects in an objected-oriented database;

an OBJECT table, wherein the OBJECT table stores, for each object in the object-oriented database, an attribute type and one or more attribute values for one or more attributes associated with that object; and

an ATTRIBUTE table, wherein the ATTRIBUTE table defines one or more types of attributes that may be associated with each of the objects in the objected-oriented database;

means for defining a plurality of relational language commands, each corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of directory services, each service having a corresponding service executing procedure;

means for selecting one of said plurality of directory services;

means for applying a process of name resolution to the selected directory service,

means for executing the procedure corresponding to the selected service,

means for building a response comprising an error or search result in response to said executing means; and

means for outputting a result list comprising the built result.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

each of the objects is associated with a unique entry ID (“

EID”

);

each of the objects is associated with a Relative Distinguished Name (“

RDN”

), the RDN being unique to each object; and

further comprising;

means for determining a parent object for each of the objects;

means for storing in the Hierarchy table;

the EID of each of the objects;

the EID of the Parent object (“

Parent EID”

) for each of the objects;

a hierarchical path to each of the objects, the path comprising a list of sequentially-arranged EID'"'"'s; and

the RDN of each of the objects.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for applying a process of name resolution comprises means for:

obtaining a first Designated Name (“

DN”

) associated with a first object to be located, the DN comprising a list of sequentially arranged RDNs;

locating a first entry in the Hierarchy table, the first entry comprising an RDN equal to a first RDN in the DN;

storing a first EID associated with the first entry; and

locating second entry in the Hierarchy table, the second entry comprising a Parent EID equal to the first EID and an RDN equal to the next RDN in the DN.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the specified service comprises a read service and the information that is to be returned comprises all types of attributes associated with an object, but no attribute values.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for storing in the Hierarchy table:

an alias indicator for each of the objects, the alias indicator indicating that a first object is defined by a second object; and

an alias ID (“

A_EID”

), the A_EID comprising the EID of the second object.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

each of the types of attributes is associated with an attribute identifier (“

AID”

); and

further comprising means for storing in the Attribute table;

each of the types of attributes and the AID of each of the attribute types; and

a syntax associated with each attribute type, the syntax defining a type of searchable treatment for each attribute type.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

each of the types of attributes is associated with an attribute identifier (“

AID”

);

each of the objects is associated with a unique entry ID (“

EID”

);

each of the objects is associated with one or more types of attributes; and

further comprising means for storing in the Object table;

the EID of each of the objects;

the AID of each of each of the one or more types of attributes associated with each of the objects; and

a value for each of the one or more types of attributes associated with each of the objects.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

each RDN comprises a unique name associated with an object in a hierarchically-arranged database of objects; and

each DN comprises a list of sequentially-arranged RDN'"'"'s.

22. A system of implementing directory services as claimed in claim 14 wherein said database comprises a Directory tree, having a plurality of distinguished names (“

DN”

) each comprising one or more relative distinguished names (“

RDN”

), and said means for applying a process of name resolution comprises means for navigating said directory tree.

23. A system of implementing directory services as claimed in claim 14 wherein said selecting means comprises means for identifying a specific service and information that is to be returned.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the selected service comprises a base object search, the base object search comprising:

identifying a base object in the Hierarchy table using a Distinguished Name (“

DN”

) associated with the base object;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) associated with the base object;

locating a first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EID of the base object; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the selected service comprises a one level search, the one level search comprising:

identifying a first set of objects in the Hierarchy table associated with a first parent object;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) for each object in the first set of objects;

locating the first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EIDs retrieved from the Hierarchy table; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the selected service comprises a subtree search, the subtree search comprising:

identifying a first set of objects in the Hierarchy table associated with a first path;

retrieving from the Hierarchy table a unique entry ID (“

EID”

) for each object in the first set of objects;

locating the first set of entries in the Object table comprising the EIDs retrieved from the Hierarchy table; and

applying a filter criteria to the first set of entries, the filter criteria comprising an a type of attribute and a value for the type of attribute.