Network directory access mechanism

A method for integrating information stored in association with multiple directory services, the method comprising:

• a first directory service including a first directory database receiving a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in a second directory database of a second directory service;
• the first directory service retrieving an access method, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol, wherein the second protocol is usable to retrieve the information from the second directory service;
• the first directory service creating a second request according to the second protocol;
• and
• the first directory service sending the second request to the second directory service to retrieve the information from the second directory database;
• wherein said first directory service receiving the first request in the first protocol comprises the first directory service receiving the first request in an LDAP protocol;
• wherein the second protocol specified by the access method comprises a protocol other than an LDAP protocol;
• and
• wherein said first directory service creating the second request according to the second protocol comprises the first directory service creating the second request according to the protocol other than an LDAP protocol.

A method for retrieving information, the method comprising:

• a directory service including a directory database receiving a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in association with a second database external to the directory database;
• the directory service retrieving an access method specifying a second protocol usable to retrieve the information from the second database;
• the directory service creating a second request according to the second protocol;
• and
• the directory service sending the second request to the second database to retrieve the information from the second database;
• wherein said directory service receiving the first request in the first protocol comprises the directory service receiving the first request in an LDAP protocol;
• wherein the second protocol specified by the access method comprises a protocol other than an LDAP protocol;
• and
• wherein said directory service creating the second request according to the second protocol comprises the directory service creating the second request according to the protocol other than an LDAP protocol.

A computer program product on a carrier medium, said computer program product comprising:

• i) a directory service comprising a directory database operable to receive a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in an environment external to the directory database;
• ii) said directory service retrieving an access method usable to access the information, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol;
• and
• iii) said directory service creating a second request to access the information according to the second protocol;
• wherein said directory service receiving the first request in the first protocol comprises the directory service receiving the first request in an LDAP protocol;
• wherein the second protocol specified by the access method comprises a protocol other than an LDAP protocol;
• and
• wherein said directory service creating the second request to access the information according to the second protocol comprises the directory service creating the second request to access the information according to the protocol other than an LDAP protocol.

A computer-implemented directory access mechanism to integrate information stored in heterogeneous environments, comprising:

• i) a directory service comprising a directory database operable to receive a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in an environment external to the directory database;
• ii) said directory service retrieving an access method usable to access the information, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol;
• and
• iii) said directory service creating a second request to access the information according to the second protocol;
• wherein the directory service is a first directory service;
• wherein the directory database is a first directory database;
• wherein the information is stored in a second directory database of a second directory service;
• wherein the first directory service receives the first request in a first directory access protocol;
• wherein the access method specifies a second directory access protocol usable to access the second directory service;
• and
• wherein the first directory service creates the second request to access the information according to the second directory access protocol.

A computer-implemented directory access mechanism to integrate information stored in heterogeneous environments, comprising:

• i) a directory service comprising a directory database operable to receive a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in an environment external to the directory database;
• ii) said directory service retrieving an access method usable to access the information, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol;
• and
• iii) said directory service creating a second request to access the information according to the second protocol;
• wherein the directory database is a first database;
• wherein the information is stored in a second database external to the first database;
• wherein the access method specifies a database protocol usable to access the second database;
• and
• wherein the first directory service creates the second request to access the information according to the database protocol.

A computer program product on a carrier medium, said computer program product comprising:

• i) a directory service comprising a directory database operable to receive a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in an environment external to the directory database;
• ii) said directory service retrieving an access method usable to access the information, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol;
• and
• iii) said directory service creating a second request to access the information according to the second protocol;
• wherein the directory service is a first directory service;
• wherein the directory database is a first directory database;
• wherein the information is stored in a second directory database of a second directory service;
• wherein the first directory service receives the first request in a first directory access protocol;
• wherein the access method specifies a second directory access protocol usable to access the second directory service;
• and
• wherein the first directory service creates the second request to access the information according to the second directory access protocol.

A computer program product on a carrier medium, said computer program product comprising:

• i) a directory service comprising a directory database operable to receive a first request in a first protocol to access information stored in an environment external to the directory database;
• ii) said directory service retrieving an access method usable to access the information, wherein the access method specifies a second protocol different than the first protocol;
• and
• iii) said directory service creating a second request to access the information according to the second protocol;
• wherein the directory database is a first database;
• wherein the information is stored in a second database external to the first database;
• wherein the access method specifies a database protocol usable to access the second database;
• and
• wherein the first directory service creates the second request to access the information according to the database protocol.