Dave Kearns is labeling LDAP as the COBOL of Identity.
That’s cute, but not terribly accurate.
COBOL has had competing languages almost from the very beginning. If you chose to use COBOL, you did so because you felt it met your requirements better than the other existing alternatives.
So Dave, what is the alternative to LDAP today? What will it be in 5 years?
Let’s assume the alternative is “Technology X”, where X is your favorite identity standard or technology.
Now I am going to let you in a secret. LDAP isn’t the COBOL of Identity. LDAP is the SNMP of Identity.
And if LDAP is the SNMP of Identity, is Technology X the CMIP of Identity?
4 responses so far ↓
George // May 9, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
Hey Jeff thought you might find this interesting in relation to identity:
http://sun.com/identityhero
It’s a game by Sun that uses identity management tools as powerups. Pretty hilarious…
Clayton Donley's Blog // May 10, 2008 at 2:18 am |
[...] Kearns says LDAP is the COBOL of Identity. Jeff Bohren says it’s actually the SNMP of Identity. So now that we’re talking about LDAP’s role in the universe… There’s no pressing need to get rid [...]
Dave Kearns // May 10, 2008 at 3:49 pm |
Actually, SNMP is the COBOL of network management.
What that means is that there is so much SNMP code (and LDAP code) already written and in place in legacy products that have been, and will be, with us forever that there is little chance of ever completely replacing either.
I See COBOL Everywhere… « Identity Blogger // May 12, 2008 at 6:03 pm |
[...] 12, 2008 · No Comments So Dave Kearns has straightened me out. Not only is LDAP COBOL, but so is SNMP. Presumably COBOL is also COBOL (tautologically speaking of [...]