System and method for accessing a directory services respository

A method for providing access to a directory services repository which is stored on a server computer in a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

• interfacing with a directory services application programming interface, also known as the API, which includes at least one callable element that is capable of accessing a component of the directory services repository in response to being called;
• providing a driver which is capable of translating a relational database language statement into an executable API sequence that includes a call to the callable element and produces an API result;
• mapping an effective class in the directory services repository to a table identified in the relational database language statement;
• mapping an object that is an instance of the effective class to a row in the table;
• and
• mapping a context of the object to a subset restriction in the relational database language statement;
• and
• requesting access to the repository by passing the relational database language statement to the driver.

A computer storage medium having a configuration that represents data and instructions which will cause at least a portion of a computer system to perform method steps for providing access to a directory services repository which is stored on a server computer in a computer network, the method steps comprising the steps of:

• interfacing with a directory services application programming interface, also known as the API, which includes at least one callable element that is capable of accessing a component of the directory services repository in response to being called;
• providing a driver which is capable of translating a relational database language statement into an executable API sequence that includes a call to the callable element and produces an API result;
• mapping an effective class in the directory services repository to a table identified in the relational database language statement;
• mapping an object that is an instance of the effective class to a row in the table;
• and
• mapping a context of the object to a subset restriction in the relational database language statement;
• and
• requesting access to the repository by passing the relational database language statement to the driver.

A system providing access to a directory services repository which is stored on a computer system, the claimed system comprising:

• a directory services application programming interface, also known as the API, which includes at least one callable element that is capable of accessing a component of the directory services repository in response to being called, the API including a Java Naming and Directory Interface API;
• and
• a driver which is capable of translating a relational database language statement into an executable API sequence that includes a call to the callable element and produces an API result, the driver also being capable of translating the API result into a relational database results,
• wherein the directory services repository component includes an effective class and an object having a context the relational database language statement identifies a table and a subset restriction, and the driver and the API together map the effective class to the table and also map the context to the subset restriction.

A system providing access to a directory services repository which is stored on a computer system, the claimed system comprising:

• a directory services application programming interface, also known as the API, which includes at least one callable element that is capable of accessing a component of the directory services repository in response to being called;
• and
• a driver which is capable of translating a relational database language statement into an executable API sequence that includes a call to the callable element and produces an API result, the driver also being capable of translating the API result into a relational database result,
• wherein the directory services repository component includes an attribute which has a plurality of simultaneous values, the relational database language statement identifies a column of a table, the driver and the API together map the attribute to the column, and the driver and the API together map each value of the attribute to a separate row in the table, thereby presenting a one-to-many relation.