Virtual attribute configuration source virtual attribute

A method comprising:

• receiving a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (“LDAP”) search for an LDAP record, the search to include a flag to indicate whether a client wishes to receive only real attributes, only virtual attributes or only virtual attribute source attributes;
• preparing an LDAP response containing only real attributes if the flag matches a first predetermined value;
• preparing an LDAP response containing only virtual attributes if the flag matches a second predetermined value;
• preparing an LDAP response containing only virtual attribute source attributes if the flag matches a third predetermined value;
• and
• transmitting the previously-prepared LDAP response to a client.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions and data to cause a programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

• preparing a response to a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (“LDAP”) search operation, the response to include at least one virtual attribute;
• placing an additional attribute into the response to provide information about the at least one virtual attribute;
• and
• transmitting the response to a client.

A system comprising:

• a communication interface to receive a database query request;
• retrieval logic to retrieve data corresponding to the database query request;
• virtual attribute logic to add a first virtual attribute to a response corresponding to the database query request;
• virtual attribute source virtual attribute logic to add a second virtual attribute to the response, the second virtual attribute to provide information about the first virtual attribute;
• and
• protocol logic to transmit the response to a client.