Messaging and Directory Server software used around the world in the Government, Military, Aviation and Commercial sectors.
Shadowing directory data across multiple servers results in improved response times and greater resilience in times of network and system failure. At JWID '04 Anthony Jones of DISA (Defence Information Systems Agency) demonstrated multi-country and multi-vendor X.500 replication using Isode's M-Vault X.500.
(LONDON - June 24, 2004) - ACP 133 Directory is a key component of a military communications infrastructure. In order to ensure robustness, and ability to operate in light of failure of communications systems, directories need to be highly replicated, so that the data required by applications and users utilizing directory services is present on a local directory server.
When organizations and national operations procure directory services (typically built using many directory servers), they tend to purchase all directory servers from the same directory vendor. This means that replication between directory servers is performed between servers from the same vendor. As a consequence, there is limited operational experience of
directory replication between directory products from different vendors.
X.500 DISP (Directory Information Shadowing Protocol) is a part of ACP 133, and the only open standard for directory replication. DISP...
- Provides for an integrated, efficient, and flexible means for replicating directory information. This includes "push" and "pull" replication, so that transfers can be initiated by either participating directory server.
- Allows for all data to be replicated (total updates) or for changed information only (incremental replication).
- Permits filtering of information, so that data transfer can be optimized on slow links, and information distributed on a need to know basis.
- Ensures that each server knows if an update was sent and when, as well as if the update succeeded or not.
- Guarantees that the data isn't modified on the replica servers
- Guarantees that the access controls aren't modified to allow information to "leak" on the replica servers
- Can be fully automated and scheduled, and because it is tightly integrated with ACP 133 directory products, is ideal for military directory replication. This tight integration also means that directory server managers can be confident that updates are sent on schedule, and are not reliant on some ad hoc external process.
At JWID '04, Anthony Jones of DISA (Defense Information Systems Agency) used Isode's M-Vault X.500 as part of a directory demonstration with four NATO countries (UK, US, Canada & Australia) in a multi-vendor deployment using three independent X.500 directory implementations. This is believed to be the first demonstration of DISP using more than two vendors.
Mr. Jones said of the demonstration "We've been delighted with Isode's M-Vault X.500 product, it has been easy to set up and to establish DISP replication with the other directory products".
Steve Kille of Isode added "DISP is practical, efficient, secure and fault-tolerant. We believe that this demonstration validates DISP as a multi-vendor technology and a key component of a military directory infrastructure."
About Isode
Isode is a software product company, originally established in 1992. Its M-Vault (LDAP Directory Server) and M-Switch (SMTP Message Switch) are used around the world by Multinational Corporations, Government Departments, ISPs, and Universities including BT Ignite, Federal Bridge Certification Authority, Novis Telecom, EDS, PTM.com, Queens University Belfast, Steria Limited, Her Majestys Government Computing Centre (HMGCC), Leeds Learning and The Government of Alberta
Contact Information
Isode
Hannah Gibbs
marketing@isode.com
