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Chapter 12. Using the Custom Distribution Logic
The distribution plug-in provided with Red Hat Directory Server distributes a flat namespace, allowing you to associate several databases with a single suffix.
12.1. About Distributing Flat Namespaces
You can distribute entries located in a flat tree structure. Imagine you administer the directory for
example.com, an ISP. The directory for example.com contains the following entries distributed in a flat tree structure:
Figure 12.1.
Because the number of users is too large, you decide to distribute the entries according to the first letter of each user's last name, assigning each letter to a separate database. To do this, you need to create your own distribution function. Your function determines how each operation received by the
ou=users suffix is routed to the database containing the information for a particular user.
After you have distributed entries, you cannot redistribute them. The following restrictions apply:
- You cannot change your distribution function after you have deployed entry distribution.
- You cannot use the
ldapmodrdnoperation to rename entries if the modification would cause them to be distributed into a different database. - You cannot use the
ldapmodifyoperation to change entries if that would cause them to be distributed into a different database.For example, if you distribute entries according to their telephone number, you cannot change the telephone number attribute of an entry without breaking entry distribution. - After you have deployed entry distribution you cannot add more databases.
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