Red Hat DIRECTORY SERVER 8.1 - DEPLOYMENT Deployment Manual page 23

Locate all the organizations that manage information essential to the enterprise. Typically, this
includes the information services, human resources, payroll, and accounting departments.
• Identify the tools and processes that are information sources.
Some common sources for information are networking operating systems (Windows, Novell
Netware, UNIX NIS), email systems, security systems, PBX (telephone switching) systems, and
human resources applications.
• Determine how centralizing each piece of data affects the management of data.
Centralized data management can require new tools and new processes. Sometimes centralization
requires increasing staff in some organizations while decreasing staff in others.
During the survey, consider developing a matrix that identifies all of the information sources in the
Table 2.2, " Example Information
enterprise, similar to
Data Source
Human resources database
Email system
Facilities system
Table 2.2. Example Information Sources
2.3.3. Characterizing the Directory Data
All of the data identified to include in the directory can be characterized according to the following
general points:
• Format
• Size
• Number of occurrences in various applications
• Data owner
• Relationship to other directory data
Study each kind of data to include in the directory to determine what characteristics it shares with the
other pieces of data. This helps save time during the schema design stage, described in more detail in
Chapter 3, Designing the Directory
A good idea is to use a table, similar to
the directory data.
Data Format
Employee Name Text string
Fax number Phone number
Sources":
Class of Data
People
People, Groups
Facilities
Schema.
Table 2.3, "Directory Data
Size
128 characters
14 digits
Characterizing the Directory Data
Data
Name, address, phone number,
department number, manager.
Name, email address, user ID,
password, email preferences.
Building names, floor names,
cube numbers, access codes.
Characteristics", which characterizes
Owner Related to
Human resources User's entry
Facilities User's entry
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