LDAPiin

LDAPiin is a proposed extension to the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) that aims to address modern identity management needs in hybrid and cloud-enabled environments. It is not an official standard but a community-driven concept intended to complement LDAP by adding higher-level features while remaining compatible with existing LDAP servers such as OpenLDAP and Microsoft Active Directory.

The design of LDAPiin envisions a reference implementation consisting of a client library, a gateway or bridge component, and a set of pluggable modules for authentication, authorization, and attribute transformation. It proposes enhanced search capabilities, including extended filters and indexed queries, along with in-memory caching to improve performance. A compatibility layer would translate LDAPiin operations to standard LDAP operations to preserve interoperability with legacy directory services.

Architecturally, LDAPiin can be deployed as a caching gateway between applications and one or more LDAP servers or as an agent on application hosts that handles authentication and attribute retrieval. It emphasizes secure transport through TLS and supports standard LDAP binds as well as SASL mechanisms. Some reference implementations may include features such as multi-master replication, auditing, and policy enforcement to support enterprise-grade requirements.

Typical use cases include synchronized identity provisioning across systems, cross-application single sign-on integration, and dynamic authorization in mixed on-premises and cloud environments. Because LDAPiin is not an official standard, adoption and interoperability vary by implementation and vendor support. The project emphasizes backward compatibility with existing LDAP clients and servers while providing a pathway for richer identity management workflows within established directory ecosystems.