Now that the LDAP directory service has been successfully deployed worldwide, HugeCo is finding new and interesting ways to leverage the directory. In this section we describe applications that are in the process of being developed and integrated with HugeCo's directory, and we look at how things have changed at HugeCo since the directory was deployed. ApplicationsThe central IS organization, the regional IS departments, and several independent departments within HugeCo are all leveraging the directory service to enhance existing applications and develop new ones. Efforts under way include the following:
Without exception, it is now easier and much more practical to create these applications than it was before the HugeCo directory service existed. Directory Deployment ImpactAfter the directory was deployed and people started to use it, the HugeCo directory team observed that the service rapidly became indispensable to many employees . Some of the team's observations are reported in this section. Richer services are now available to end users. It is much easier to find timely information about other employees, so communication among employees has increased. Paper lists of phone numbers are a thing of the past, now that many employees have come to rely on the directory-enabled phone book application. Employees can more easily update information about themselves , and new automated services such as benefit request systems are coming online. A richer set of functionality is available to application developers. Application writers can easily access and update information about a variety of important HugeCo resources without incurring the burden of managing their own directory or database. Simple authentication and attribute-based role information can be used to make applications more secure. The directory-based Netegrity SiteMinder deployment is easily leveraged by developers of Web-based applications. The HR and IS organizations are using the directory service to build closer relationships with their customers and to place more control (and more of the work) in employees' hands. Timeliness and manageability of important information has improved dramatically. Finally, the HugeCo directory design and deployment team has greatly increased its knowledge of directory service design and is now well positioned to tackle additional directory projects. First up will be the design and deployment of an extranet directory that will store information about HugeCo's dealer network. This new directory service, which is described in Chapter 26, will allow the deployment of a new class of secure, Web-based information delivery applications. The extranet directory design team will draw on lessons learned during the internal HugeCo directory deployment. |