Portable light weight LDAP directory server and database

• US 8,635,439 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Joshi, Chandrajit G., Shah, Romil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): REHMAN, MOHAMMED H
• Application Number:
  US12/495,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]

Abstract

A lightweight embedded directory server with portable LDAP data is disclosed. The directory server and database comprises a processing chip, an on-chip processing unit, an on-chip memory system, and an on chip input/output system. The memory system stores an embedded operating system and an embedded directory server, and is also used for storing data to be processed by the processing unit. The input/output system is provided for connecting the processor chip to one or more applications for supplying directory services to the one or more applications. A portable memory device stores a directory database, and, in use, this memory device is releasably connected to the on chip input/output system. An on-chip driver is used to perform read and write operations on the portable memory device; and a boot loader software program is used for starting execution of the embedded directory service.

Claims

1. A method of operating an embedded directory server and an embedded directory database, the method comprising:

providing a processing unit on a substrate, wherein the embedded directory server and the embedded database are included on said substrate with the processing unit;

providing an input/output unit on said substrate;

releasably coupling a portable memory device to said substrate via the input/output unit, wherein the portable memory device is configured to store a portable directory database;

initiating operation of the embedded directory server; and

performing read and write operations on the portable memory device to retrieve data from said portable directory database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate includes an on-chip memory configured to store an embedded operating system and said embedded directory server;

wherein the input/output system is configured to couple the processor chip to one or more applications for supplying directory services to the one or more applications, an on-chip driver, and a boot loader software program stored in the on-chip memory system for starting execution of the embedded directory service; and

wherein the portable memory device is releasably coupled to the substrate using either a USB port or an RS232 port.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the boot loader program initiates operation of the embedded directory server.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driver is configured to perform read and write operations on the portable memory device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the on-chip memory system includes a first, non-volatile memory unit storing the boot loader program, the embedded operating system, and the embedded directory server, and a second memory unit for storing data to be processed by the processing unit, and wherein the method further comprises:

loading the embedded operating system via the boot loader program and the embedded directory server into the second memory unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the embedded directory server loading the on-chip driver from the first memory unit onto the second memory unit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the driver performing read and write operations includes the driver loading files from the portable memory device into the second memory unit.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling of the portable memory device to the substrate includes the portable memory device generating an interrupt signal in response to the portable memory device being coupled to the processing unit, and wherein the method further comprises:

loading files from the portable memory device in response to receiving the interrupt signal generated by the portable memory device, wherein in response to receiving the interrupt signal, the driver loads data in the files stored on portable memory device into a second memory unit, the data stored in the portable directory database comprising sensitive customer data including customer authentication data.

9. A directory server and database comprising:

an on-chip processing unit mounted on a chip;

an on-chip memory system storing an embedded operating system and an embedded directory server, and for storing data to be processed by the processing unit;

an on-chip input/output system mounted on said chip for coupling the processing unit to one or more applications for supplying directory services to the one or more applications; and

a portable memory device storing a portable directory database and for releasably coupling to the on-chip input/output system;

wherein an on-chip driver is used by the embedded directory server to perform read and write operations on the portable memory device; and

wherein a boot loader software program is stored on the on-chip memory system for starting execution of the embedded directory service.

10. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 9, wherein the on-chip memory system includes a first, non-volatile memory unit storing the embedded operating system and the embedded directory server;

and

a second memory unit for storing the data to be processed by the processing unit.

11. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 10, wherein the boot loader loads the embedded operating system and the embedded directory server onto the second memory unit and starts execution of the embedded operating system and the embedded directory server.

12. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 11, wherein the on chip driver loads files from the portable memory device into the second memory unit.

13. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 12, wherein the portable memory device generates an interrupt signal in response to being coupled to the processing unit;

wherein the on-chip driver receives the interrupt signal, and in response to receiving the interrupt signal, the on-chip driver loads files from the portable memory device into the second memory unit, the files comprising sensitive customer data including customer authentication data; and

wherein the portable memory device is releasably coupled to the to the on-chip input/output system using either a USB port or an RS232 port.

14. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first memory unit is configured to store the boot loader program.

15. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input/output system includes a first port for releasably coupling the portable memory device to the processing unit;

and

a second port for coupling the processing unit to the one or more applications.

16. The directory server and database as claimed in claim 9, wherein the portable directory database includes data;

and

wherein the on-chip processing unit, the on-chip memory system and the on-chip input/output system are configured on a same substrate.

17. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic to execute a machine instruction in one or more processing units for operating a directory server and database, wherein the directory server and database include a processing chip;

an on-chip processing unit;

an on-chip memory system storing an embedded operating system and an embedded directory server;

an on-chip input/output system for coupling the processor chip to one or more applications for supplying directory services to the one or more applications;

an on-chip driver;

a boot loader software program stored in the on-chip memory system for starting execution of the embedded directory service; and

a portable memory device storing a portable directory database and releasably coupled to the processing chip;

wherein the on-chip processing unit, the on-chip memory system and the on-chip input/output system are configured on a same substrate; and

wherein the computer readable program code logic, in response to being executed, performs the following;

the boot loader initiating operation of the embedded directory server; and

the driver performing read and write operations on the portable memory device.

18. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 17, wherein the on-chip memory system includes:

a first, non-volatile memory unit storing the boot loader program, the embedded operating system, and the embedded directory server; and

a second memory unit for storing data to be processed by the processing unit; and

wherein the computer readable program code logic, in response to being executed, further performs;

causing the boot loader to load the embedded operating system and the embedded server into the second memory unit; and

causing the embedded directory server to load the on-chip driver from the first memory unit onto the second memory unit; and

wherein;

the driver performing read and write operations includes the driver loading data in the files stored on portable memory device into the second memory unit.

19. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 17, wherein the portable memory device generates an interrupt signal in response to the portable memory device being coupled to the processor chip;

wherein the driver loading files from the portable memory device includes the driver receiving the interrupt signal, and in response to receiving the interrupt signal, the driver loading the data in the files stored on portable memory device into the second memory unit, the data in the files comprising sensitive customer data including customer authentication data; and

wherein the portable memory device is releasably coupled to the processing chip using either a USB port or an RS232 port.

20. The article of manufacture as claimed in claim 17, wherein the embedded directory server receives search requests and modify operations from clients, and the computer readable program code logic, in response to being executed, further performs:

causing the embedded directory server, on receiving the search requests, to perform an internal search on directory access entries stored in the memory system; and

causing the embedded directory server, on receiving the modify operations, to perform a modify operation to modify entries stored in the memory system.