Migrating Sun Java Directory Server to HP-UX Directory Server White Paper

Introduction

Summary

Current industry events have caused some organizations to re-evaluate their data center strategies.

Today, directory servers are commonly incorporated in enterprise data centers. The recent merger of

Sun and Oracle makes unclear what directory server they are offering as their go-to product, given

the availability of the traditional Sun Java Directory Server (SJDS) along with the newer OpenDS and

competing Oracle Internet Directory (OID) products. How will these products be positioned? Which

one will be considered strategic, and which will be phased out?

With this background of uncertainty, the HP-UX Directory Server (HPDS) product stands out clearly as

an effective and comprehensive answer. Having a common heritage with Sun Java Directory Server

(see the “Introducing the HP-UX Directory Server” section), HPDS’s capabilities and features are nearly

identical with SJDS and allow for a smooth transition to HPDS from SJDS. Organizations considering

a worthy alternative to Sun Java Directory Server should consider the HP-UX Directory Server.

This paper describes the features and benefits of the HP-UX Directory Server product and provides

details about migrating from Sun Java Directory Server to HP-UX Directory Server.

Introducing the HP-UX Directory Server

As shown in Figure 1, HP-UX Directory Server has a long, proven lineage that extends back to the

original Netscape Directory Server. HP originally offered the Netscape Directory Server version 3.0

for HP-UX in 1998. HP continued to offer this product line, using a variety of product identities over

time, including iPlanet Directory Server, Netscape Directory Server (again), and the Red Hat Directory

Server. While the names have changed, the core technology has remained the same. When Sun

and AOL ended their iPlanet relationship, Sun initially continued to offer the product under the Sun

ONE (Open Network Environment) brand, and eventually offered it under the current Sun Java System

brand. Meanwhile, AOL renamed their branch of the product to Netscape Directory Server. In 2004,

AOL sold the directory server to Red Hat, which rebranded it as the Red Hat Directory Server and

offered it as an open source product. This open source development project is now used by the

Fedora development program

In August 2009, HP released HP-UX Directory Server version 8.1, which supersedes (in version and

capabilities) the last release of Red Hat Directory Server (version 8.0). HPDS is based on the same

389 Directory Server open source product and is fully supported and enhanced by HP.

, and is known today as the 389 Directory Server.

http://directory.fedoraproject.org/