openLDAP vs.mySQL

[Lewis Bergman]

Carlo Prestopino wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> this is a “theoretical” post.
> 
> As written in the object: LDAP or mySQL in the backend for a remote 
> access control system?
> 
> I’ve seen that that for remote access control, e.g. Wi-Fi prepaid access 
> solution, it is widely used freeRADIUS+captive portal+mySQL.
> 
> There are several implementation of capitve portals, but they all do the 
> same thing: act as NAS towards RADIUS providing AAA attributes.
> 
> User data are stored in the backend in a database, but for usage 
> characteristics this database should be a directory server (LDAP 
> server); such a solution, in fact, requires features typical for a 
> directory server: optimization for read operation, distributed model for 
> storage of information, advanced search capabilities. So the best 
> solution should be LDAP (openLDAP) for users’ data and SQL (mySQL) for 
> accounting data (these data are overwritten so number of write 
> operations are almost equal to number of read operations).
> 
> Despite this, I’ve seen that LDAP is not widely used. Is this for its 
> complexity or are there deeper reasons that suggest to use SQL database 
> for both (user data, accounting) purposes? Does anybody have links that 
> might help to build a system made using this architecture?
> 
I would suspect that the vast majority of the world won't deploy a 
system large enough to tell the difference in performance between LDAP 
and SQL so most make the decision in favor of the one they are most 
comfortable with managing.
-- 
Lewis Bergman
Texas Communications
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Off. 325-691-1301
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