Re: RDBMS and LDAP wars

[jimd@siu.edu]

On 26 Feb, Hanasaki JiJi wrote:
> Hello All,
> 
> Planning to use LDAP for storing orgchart and physical building/room 
> heirarchies.
> 
> The DBA folks are touting NO LDAP DO IT IN RDBMS because:
> 	- LDAP has no referential integrity

As Howard already pointed out - strictly speaking - this is correct.

However, a portion of the values to be stored using a common attribute name
can have a "unique number" in them which an application can then use to
"properly order" the returned values. LDAP server or client sorting may or
may not be available, and may or may not provide the same result.

> 	- moving trees/branches is not possible
> 	- no ACID transactions
> 	- no reporting tools like Crystal reports

As Howard pointed out, LDAP by itself does not provide for any reporting
tools. Some of the backend database "engines", MySql for example, used to
actually store the "LDAP data" may offer canned reports or be useful enough
for you to be able to generate reports for - that the backend can "answer",
independent of LDAP.

As your subject implies, there is often a misconception about "what" LDAP is,
and this oftentimes leads one to believe that "LDAP" is a "database system".
An LDAP server does USE some kind of "database system", or "engine",
(referred to generally as a "backend") to store the data, but "LDAP" is not
that "system" or "engine".

FWIW, I have an incomplete project that implements part/much of what you
mentioned - using "LDAP".  ;)