Method for deferred deletion of entries for a directory service backing store

A method in a data processing system for searching a database from a directory service, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a search query at the data processing system for a directory wherein the directory service is a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory service and the database is managed by a relational management service,
• responsive to a search by the data processing system for directory entries that satisfy the search query, excluding given entries from search results that otherwise satisfy the search query, wherein the given entries identify database entries that have been tagged for deletion by setting a creation time of the directory entry to a predetermined value;
• and
• returning by the data processing system the search results.

A directory service, comprising:

• a bus;
• a communications unit connected to the bus;
• a storage device connected to the bus wherein the storage device includes computer usable program code;
• a directory organized as a naming hierarchy having a plurality of entries each represented by a unique identifier, wherein the directory is compliant with the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP);
• a relational database management system having a backing store for storing directory data in a set of database tables;
• and
• a processor unit connected to the bus wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program code to receive a search query for a directory wherein the directory service is a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory service and the database is managed by a relational management service:
• responsive to a search for directory entries that satisfy the search query exclude given entries from search results that otherwise satisfy the search query wherein the given entries identify database entries that have been tagged for deletion by setting a creation time of the directory entry to a predetermined value, and return the search results.