Entry distribution in a directory server

1. A method of entry distribution, comprising:

receiving requests by a chaining backend from an original client;

forwarding requests from the chaining backend to one of a plurality of remote servers; and

returning results from the one of the plurality of remote servers to the original client;

wherein the chaining backend is a type of database plug-in that acts as a multiplexer,

wherein the chaining backend comprises a directory information tree defining the hierarchy of the plurality of remote servers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein standard LDAP operations are supported.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entry distribution is hidden from the original client.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chaining backend coexists with other backends.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

implementing pass-through authentication by the chaining backend.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating and enforcing access controls by the one of the plurality of remote servers that holds the results.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

evaluating and enforcing a plurality of access controls by the chaining backend.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining a pool of connections to the one of the plurality of remote servers by the chaining backend.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pool of connections for a bind connection is a specific pool of connections dedicated for chaining of bind requests.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

examining an operation state using the chaining backend to check whether an operation is abandoned.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

configuring the multiplexer to return a referral that point to the one of the plurality of remote servers holding the results.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forwarding a search size limit parameter to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating a time limit parameter to account for additional processing delay introduced by the multiplexer; and

forwarding the updated time limit parameter to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

implementing pass-through authentication by the chaining backend;

evaluating and enforcing access controls by the one of the plurality of remote servers that holds the results;

evaluating and enforcing a plurality of access controls by the chaining backend;

maintaining a pool of connections to the one of the plurality of remote servers by the chaining backend;

examining an operation state using the chaining backend to check whether an operation is abandoned;

configuring the multiplexer to return a referral pointing to the one of the plurality of remote servers holding the results;

forwarding a search size limit parameter to the one of the plurality of remote servers;

updating a time limit parameter to account for additional processing delay introduced by the multiplexer; and

forwarding the updated time limit parameter to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

15. A directory server allowing entry distribution, comprising:

a chaining backend receiving a request from an original client, wherein the chaining backend is a type of database plug-in that acts as a multiplexer; and

a plurality of remote servers operatively connected to the chaining backend, wherein the chaining backend forwards the request to one of the plurality of remote servers;

wherein, a result obtained in response to the request is returned to the original client from the one of the plurality of remote servers,

wherein the chaining backend comprises a directory information tree defining the hierarchy of the plurality of remote servers.

16. The directory server of claim 15 , wherein standard LDAP operations are supported.

17. The directory server of claim 15 , wherein the entry distribution is hidden from the original client.

18. The directory server of claim 15 , wherein the chaining backend coexists with other backends.

19. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a pass-through authentication implemented by the chaining backend.

20. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a plurality of access controls evaluated and enforced by the one of the plurality of remote servers that holds the results.

21. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a plurality of access controls evaluated and enforced by the chaining backend.

22. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a pool of connections to the one of the plurality of remote servers maintained by the chaining backend.

23. The directory server of claim 22 , wherein the pool of connections for a bind connection is a specific pool of connections dedicated for chaining of bind requests.

24. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

an operation state examined using the chaining backend to check whether an operation is abandoned.

25. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

the multiplexer configured to return a referral pointing to the one of the plurality of remote servers holding the results.

26. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a search size limit parameter forwarded to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

27. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a time limit parameter updated to account for additional processing delay introduced by the multiplexer; and

an updated time limit parameter forwarded to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

28. The directory server of claim 15 , further comprising:

a pass-through authentication implemented by the chaining backend;

a plurality of access controls evaluated and enforced by the one of the plurality of remote servers that holds the results;

a plurality of access controls evaluated and enforced by the chaining backend;

a pool of connections to the one of the plurality of remote servers maintained by the chaining backend;

an operation state examined using the chaining backend to check whether an operation is abandoned;

the multiplexer configured to return a referral pointing to the remote server holding the results;

a search size limit parameter forwarded to the one of the plurality of remote servers;

a time limit parameter updated to account for additional processing delay introduced by the multiplexer; and

an updated time limit parameter forwarded to the one of the plurality of remote servers.

29. A system for entry distribution, comprising:

means for receiving requests by a chaining backend from an original client;

means for forwarding requests from the chaining backend to one of a plurality of remote servers; and

means for returning results from the one of the plurality of remote servers to the original client;

wherein the chaining backend is a type of database plug-in that acts as a multiplexer,

wherein the chaining backend comprises a directory information tree defining the hierarchy of the plurality of remote servers.