OpenDS
Encyclopedia
OpenDS Software is a free, open source
directory service
, written in Java
, and developed as part of the OpenDS project. OpenDS Software implements a wide range of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and related standards, including full compliance with LDAPv3 but also support for Directory Service Markup Language (DSMLv2)
. It also offers multi-master replication, access control, and many extensions.
OpenDS software is released under Sun Microsystems's Common Development and Distribution (CDDL) License. LDAP and DSML are platform-independent protocols. The software is developed and runs on any system with Java programming language support, including common Linux and UNIX distributions, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and others. The documentation for OpenDS is presented as a Wiki
.
Sun increased the number of developers working on OpenDS technology after open-sourcing the code. Developers outside Sun also joined the new open-source project. Community members like Boni.org, Penrose, and JBoss began to use OpenDS in their projects. In early 2008 the OpenDS project had over 20 regular contributors.
OpenDS software is built daily. Each build goes through automated unit-testing. Quality engineers monitor the source code, regularly picking up builds to run additional tests, in order to promote the build. Promoted builds on which additional stress and system-test campaigns are run can become milestones. Milestones that undergo further, more exhaustive testing can become major version releases.
In September 2007, the project owners were laid off from Sun Microsystems.
Late in 2007, questions arose as to whether the project was governed as an open source project. One of the project owners complained publicly that Sun Microsystems had required project owners to accept governance changes to the project in order to keep their benefits. The team resigned from their project owner role. Simon Phipps
, Chief Open source Officer of Sun Microsystems, claimed that Sun was only reverting governance changes that had never been approved.
John Waters also published an article on the topic.
In 2011, a few months after the acquisition of Sun Microsystems
, Oracle
released Oracle Unified Directory, based on OpenDS.
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
directory service
Directory service
A directory service is the software system that stores, organizes and provides access to information in a directory. In software engineering, a directory is a map between names and values. It allows the lookup of values given a name, similar to a dictionary...
, written in Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
, and developed as part of the OpenDS project. OpenDS Software implements a wide range of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and related standards, including full compliance with LDAPv3 but also support for Directory Service Markup Language (DSMLv2)
Directory Service Markup Language
Directory Services Markup Language is a representation of directory service information in an XML syntax.The DSML version 1 effort was announced by creator Bowstreet on July 12, 1999. Initiative supporters include AOL-Netscape, Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Novell, Microsoft, and IBM...
. It also offers multi-master replication, access control, and many extensions.
OpenDS software is released under Sun Microsystems's Common Development and Distribution (CDDL) License. LDAP and DSML are platform-independent protocols. The software is developed and runs on any system with Java programming language support, including common Linux and UNIX distributions, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and others. The documentation for OpenDS is presented as a Wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
.
History and roadmap
The work on OpenDS started as an internal Sun project around February 2005. OpenDS was initially developed primarily by Neil A. Wilson. Neil was joined by a small team of engineers from Sun's Directory Server team. The code was open-sourced in June 2006.Sun increased the number of developers working on OpenDS technology after open-sourcing the code. Developers outside Sun also joined the new open-source project. Community members like Boni.org, Penrose, and JBoss began to use OpenDS in their projects. In early 2008 the OpenDS project had over 20 regular contributors.
OpenDS software is built daily. Each build goes through automated unit-testing. Quality engineers monitor the source code, regularly picking up builds to run additional tests, in order to promote the build. Promoted builds on which additional stress and system-test campaigns are run can become milestones. Milestones that undergo further, more exhaustive testing can become major version releases.
Release history
| Date | Release |
|---|---|
| December 15, 2009 | 2.2.0 |
| July 17, 2009 | 2.0.0 |
| July 3, 2009 | 2.0.0 RC4 |
| June 23, 2009 | 2.0.0 RC3 |
| June 10, 2009 | 2.0.0 RC2 |
| May 25, 2009 | 2.0.0 RC1 |
Public Forum
Discussions about the OpenDS project are done through public mailing lists mentioned on the OpenDS project web site. Users and developers can be reached on the #opends irc channel on freenode.net. Every first Tuesday of the month, 9am PST, 6pm CET the OpenDS community holds a public conference call meeting to share in voice project news and discuss technical topics.Governance
In April 2007, the project owners modified the project governance. The text “This Project Lead, who is appointed by Sun Microsystems, is responsible for managing the entire project” was replaced by “This Project Lead, who is appointed and removed by a majority vote of the Project Owners, is responsible for managing the entire project".In September 2007, the project owners were laid off from Sun Microsystems.
Late in 2007, questions arose as to whether the project was governed as an open source project. One of the project owners complained publicly that Sun Microsystems had required project owners to accept governance changes to the project in order to keep their benefits. The team resigned from their project owner role. Simon Phipps
Simon Phipps (programmer)
Simon Phipps is a computer scientist and web and open source advocate.Phipps was instrumental in IBM's involvement in the Java programming language, founding IBM's Java Technology Center. He left IBM for Sun Microsystems in 2000, taking leadership of Sun's open source programme from Danese Cooper...
, Chief Open source Officer of Sun Microsystems, claimed that Sun was only reverting governance changes that had never been approved.
John Waters also published an article on the topic.
In 2011, a few months after the acquisition of Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, Oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
released Oracle Unified Directory, based on OpenDS.
See also
- GlassFishGlassFishGlassFish is an open source application server project started by Sun Microsystems for the Java EE platform and now sponsored by Oracle Corporation. The supported version is called Oracle GlassFish Server...
- List of LDAP software
- Oracle Unified Directory
- OpenSSOOpenSSOOpenSSO was an open source access management and federation server platform.Oracle completed their acquisition of Sun Microsystems in February 2010 and shortly thereafter removed OpenSSO downloads from their website in an unannounced policy change...
- OpenPTKOpenPTKProject Open Provisioning ToolKit is an open source project started within Sun Microsystems, Inc., by Scott Fehrman, Derrick Harcey and Terry Sigle.-External links:****-References:*...
- OpenDJOpenDJOpenDJ is a free, open source Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and Directory Service Markup Language compliant directory service written in the Java programming language. OpenDJ began as a fork of the OpenDS code base, which originated in 2005 as an internal project at Sun Microsystems...