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Re: Have you seen this FUD - IT pros suffer OpenLDAP configuration headaches ?
Quoting "Paul B. Henson" <henson@acm.org>:
Really? It's amazing then how other enterprise scale software
packages such as Apache httpd managed to survive using flat text
file configuration models without inventing secure remote
administration protocols for deploying that configuration.
Apache httpd was not responsible for providing core services and
management interfaces inside of telecom networks (it was even so
unsuitable as a middleware platform that java was used instead). LDAP,
on the other hand was, and is a core component of every telecom
network in existence.
Things like, oh I don't know, being able to dynamically crank up the
logging level without disconnecting your clients in order to respond
to and investigate alarms... Those are sort of important and stuff,
you know, for a network to which 50 million phones are connected.
Back in 2002-2003, as a core architect I personally made the decision
regarding which LDAP server software to use for a mobile network
management system that still has a very large market share. If you use
a mobile phone, chances are high that you are supported still today by
the system I designed and implemented. I wrote a scathing report about
the capabilities of OpenLDAP at the time, and I even shared it with
Howard IIRC. I'm pretty sure I also discussed it with him in person in
Tuebingen over dinner. OpenLDAP was not my choice, even though I did
attend the developers conference and bring along a friend to boot.
Needless to say, the situation is completely reversed today and given
the current capabilities of OpenLDAP, I wouldn't recommend anything
else. Howard and crew have done one hell of a job positioning OpenLDAP
so that it can be used inside the telecom arena. Little IT shops where
you want LDAP to authenticate 10 users and you are never going to
contribute anything except for complaints, you're simply not important
in the grand scheme of things.
So before you all go blowing smoke out of your asses, Stroeder, that
includes you, too, it might be wise not to underestimate with whom you
are speaking.
-mike