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Virtual Directory Server :: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Symlabs Virtual Directory Server?
Symlabs Virtual Directory Server (Symlabs VDS) is a powerful tool to customize your identity infrastructure and to integrate it with your overall architecture. The product was designed to overcome the limitations of identity data repositories and identity consuming applications by creating a highly versatile layer between them.
Symlabs Virtual Directory Server functions as an LDAP proxy, as well as providing a virtual directory facility. In addition to its extensive support for the LDAP protocol, it offers support for a number of other protocols as well, making it a valuable tool for developers and administrators alike.
Can you tell me about the features and benefits of Symlabs Virtual Directory Server?
Symlabs Virtual Directory Server is built on an open platform that allows you to customize and program a wide variety of actions. Because of this, the number of things you can do with the Symlabs Virtual Directory Server is virtually endless. The following is not a complete list, but it will give you an idea of how the product is currently being used:
- Joining of directory and identity data
- Mapping of attributes, values and suffixes
- Integrating multiple directories
- Access control
- Validating data before it gets written to the Directory
- Operation target routing (i.e. route read requests to replicas, route write requests to master servers)
- Data distribution / Partitioning
- Creating virtual directories that span multiple data sources
- Enforcing referential integrity
- Triggering external actions
- Integrating directories with web services (XML / SOAP)
- Integrating or enabling single sign-on architectures
- Operation load balancing
- Failover
- Extended operation filtering
- Filter processing
- Backend monitoring / health checking
- And many more
Does the Symlabs Virtual Directory Server product come with a GUI?
Yes. The Symlabs Virtual Directory Server comes with a GUI configuration tool, called DSGUI, which has been developed in Java to ensure cross-platform compatibility. It was developed as a tool to assist administrators and developers with the creation and configuration of Symlabs Virtual Directory Server instances. The program effectively provides an intuitive graphical user interface to the configuration files that the Symlabs Virtual Directory Server uses, allowing end users to configure, start and test configurations with a few click and drag operations.
DSGUI can be used to manage configurations both locally and remotely. In order to better facilitate the remote management of configurations across multiple instance on several servers, DSGUI has been designed to interface with a specially developed Remote Administration Server that comes bundled with the Symlabs Virtual Directory Server.
Apparently Symlabs Virtual Directory Server is built on the same core engine as Symlabs LDAP Proxy, what is the difference between these two products?
Yes, the two products are built using the same core, also known as dsproxy. However, the Symlabs LDAP Proxy version of the product has been built with limited functionality. In particular, the Symlabs Virtual Directory Server is capable of handling a wider range of protocols, including the ability to interface with RDBMS backend. On the frontend side, the product is capable of interfacing using a selection of protocols, including HTTP, Radius, Diameter, SIP, MM1, as well as LDAP and LDAPS. Another major difference between the two products, is that with Symlabs Virtual Directory Server, you are able to define as many processing stages as you require; however, there is a limitation of a maximum of three stages within the LDAP Proxy product.
Do I need to run an X-Server or Windowing environment on my Unix-based server in order to use your product?
Absolutely not! We understand that processing cycles are valuable and security is important. As a result, our core engine is capable of running without the GUI on any system. Additionally, we have built in a Remote Administration Server that you can choose to run if you would like to be able to access your configurations on a Symlabs VDS instance using the GUI remotely. This means that you can lock down access to your servers in a production environment, but still allow your administrators to remotely configure and maintain a running a Symlabs VDS instance. Furthermore, your administrators can make use of the DSGUI application within their own windowed environment, without needing a detailed understanding of the shell environment. This way, we keep the server running only what it needs to but we still provide the GUI tools to be able to manage the server.
What about long-term support?
Symlabs is known for excellent customer service. We have many levels of support available (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and can customize a support solution tailored to meet your needs.
We are also constantly updating our online Symlabs Virtual Directory Server tutorials and all of our software is packaged with the documentation that you require to be able to run and configure the application.
Symlabs products, including the Symlabs VDS, have been deployed by the leading telcos/carriers and large enterprise organizations that require top level service and support. Our products and services are here to stay and you can count on Symlabs to support you throughout every step of the process.
How often do you offer new releases?
We usually ship new versions with upgrades every 6 months as a maximum.
Can I try the Symlabs VDS before buying it?
Yes. You can download Symlabs Virtual Directory Server from our website.
Which platforms can I use to try it?
You can download the product for Linux, Solaris SPARC and Solaris x86 (8, 9 and 10), and Windows (2003 Server or XP Professional recommended). Although not part of our official package list, if required we can provide packages of the product to run on AIX or HP-UX systems as well.
Ok, I like Symlabs VDS. How much does it cost?
Please email jeff@symlabs.com for pricing information as the price can vary based on your requirements.