Koha Integration: RFID, SIP2, LDAP

presented by Joe Atzberger

LDAP
List of LDAP Tools
1. Apache Directory Server & Studio (client) http://directory.apache.org
- Newer than openldap and more stable
- Runs on OSX, Win32, and linux
- Open source
2. OpenLDAP - http://www.openldap.org
- Includes command line tools

Koha LDAP does not go grab all your users as a "dump". That is what IMPORT is for. Instead it updates when they try to login.

Main server configuration goes in koha-conf.xml file. The line looks similar to:

ldap://auth.example.com:389
dc=example,dc=com really base, but base tag not allowed
cn=Admin,dc=example,dc=com
example

Bind-as-auth has been hacked into Koha, but not done cleanly enough to import into main Koha.

There are two options for replicate and update, which can sync the information between LDAP and Koha (very cool!!!)

Know your own Schema, example used was inetOrgPerson.

You can define data Koha cares about by using elements in koha-conf.xml.



CPL (this makes the default branch CPL)

3 kinds of required data include things that are required by the database, login, and us.

Database
- surname
- address
- city

Login
- userid

SIP2
Unlike LDAP, SIP2 runs as a totally different server process, normally on a completely different server.

Extra dependecies - UNIVERSAL::require and Net::Server:Prefork

Now a well-documented setup process in Appendix to the Koha Manual. Sipconfig.xml file contains info about the SIP server. In the Sipconfig.xml you can specify port, recommends using telnet so not to expose raw protocol to outside world. Make sure the user that SIP uses actually has correct permission to perform circulate functions.

perl -I./ ./SIPServer.pm /home/koha/sipconfig/Sipconfig.xml (example command of SIP server running)

Doesn't support things that are specified at the item level, such as, item level holds and all features that were added to Koha after the SIP implementation. Almost all 3M hardware, requires and extension to the SIP2 implementation and that is also not yet supported, but Joe believes that NEKLS will be sponsoring that change.

There was some question about can you use SIP over SSL. Joe mentioned that when the SIP specifications were written they were assuming that you were going to use a serial connection or atleast be on the same network as the SIP server. Apparently, it is possible to setup a Secure SSH tunnel and use SIP over that connection.