Re: Organizing existing data set for LDAP...

[Ron Chmara <ron@opus1.com>]

"EFT.Eric Devolder" wrote:
> I'm trying to turn some existing address book into an LDAP server &
> database.
> So far, I managed to compile test and run the openldap package. Now comes
> the problem of organizing data.
> 
> My problem is the following: LDAP is an hierarchical data system.

Er, no. It can be. It can also be flat. You can make really complex
hierarchies, or big, flat spaces, whatever you neeed. It's extremely
flexible.

> Everything
> is referred from a search path (base). Most of the entries I have to encode
> are from different companies, and are not related to our organisation.
> for example, my company will have "dc=eft, dc=be" as RDN.
> How should I encode within my database people like: "John Bigjim, from
> hardatwork.net ( fake example :)) )", that is not part of my company?

Well, if you wanted to to be part of the same general group without
fighting hundreds of company names:

dn: uid=jbigjim, role=client, dc=eft, dc=be
company=hardatwork.net

or

dn: mail=jbigjim@hardatwork.net, ou=extranet, dc=eft, dc=be
role=client
company=hardatwork.net

or as a massive tree

dn: cn=John BigJim, company=hardatwork.net, ou=extranet, dc=eft, dc=be
role=client

or as a custom set, all within youre own arc:

dn: nickname=jbigjim, treechunk=outsidepeople, dc=eft, dc=be
thetruemeaningofthisentry=client
isthisanaddressentry=yes
shouldthisbeincludedininternalphonebooksearches=no

or even (as a flat space)

dn: uid=jbigjim, dc=eft, dc=be
ou=extranet
type=client
company=hardatwork.net

You don't *have* to do it in any particular way, just make sure you design
it in such a way that it will suit your needs, and not weigh you down with
extra administration, configuration, etc.

-Ronabop

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