Understanding and Deploying LDAP Directory Services > 25. Case Study: A Large Multinational Enterprise > Leveraging the Directory Service |
Leveraging the Directory ServiceNow that the LDAP directory service has been successfully deployed worldwide, HugeCo is finding a number of 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 take a 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 underway 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 ImpactAfte the directory was deployed and people started to use it, the HugeCo directory team observed that the service rapidly became indispensable to people. Some of their observations are captured in this section. Richer services are now available to end users. It is much easier to find timely information about other employees, which has increased communication among employees . Paper lists of phone numbers are a thing of the past for the many employees who 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 time off and 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 HR and IS organizations have used the directory service to get closer to their customers and 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: design and deployment of an extranet directory that will store information about HugeCo's dealer network. This new directory service 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.
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Index terms contained in this sectionapplicationsleveraging HugeCo case study 2nd 3rd case studies HugeCo leveraging 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th deployment impact HugeCo case study 2nd 3rd directories case studies HugeCo 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th HugeCo case study leveraging applications 2nd 3rd deployment impact 2nd 3rd leveraging HugeCo case study applications 2nd 3rd deployment impact 2nd 3rd |
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