Preserving references to deleted directory entries

A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage device including computer usable code for preserving a reference to an entry in a directory, the computer usable code when executed causing a data processing system to perform actions, the actions comprising:

• receiving an instruction to delete the entry from the directory,
• the directory being served from a directory server according to a Directory Access Protocol,
• the directory server executing in a data processing system using a processor and a memory;
• identifying a second entry that includes a reference to the entry;
• marking the second entry as a ghost reference to the entry, wherein the second entry is a valid reference to the entry, and the ghost reference preserves information about the entry in the second entry;
• and
• responsive to the instruction, processing the entry according to a conversion process to convert the entry to a deleted entry.

A data processing system for preserving a reference to an entry in a directory, the data processing system comprising:

• a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code when executed causes the data processing system to perform actions, the actions comprising:
• receiving an instruction to delete the entry from the directory, the directory being served from a directory server according to a Directory Access Protocol;
• identifying a second entry that includes a reference to the entry;
• marking the second entry as a ghost reference to the entry, wherein the second entry is a valid reference to the entry, and the such that the ghost reference preserves information about the entry in the second entry;
• and
• responsive to the instruction, processing the entry according to a conversion process to convert the entry to a deleted entry.