Grouper Users - Open Discussion List

[Loris Bennett <>]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the information. My understanding is that grouper-loader is
used to fill a group dynamically based on an SQL statement. So am I
right in thinking that you model the org structure in terms of an
essentially static hierarchy of groups which are then filled
automatically via grouper-loader?

On the other hand, I must be missing something, because you say that the
loader will automatically reflect changes in the org structure.
Currently I can't see how this can be done.

Regards

Loris

On Mon, 2008-10-13 at 12:45 -0400, Chris Hyzer wrote:
> We are starting to do this at Penn with our organizational structure (I say 
> "starting" because we are in production,
> but only loading a subset of all the orgs we need).
> 
> We have all our data in one warehouse database, and I made a view which 
> links users to orgs.  Then I use grouper-loader 
> to sync up that view with our org groups.  If a user moved from one org to 
> another, or another org was added, or an org
> was renamed, grouper-loader figures it all out... maybe it can help you 
> (less people use the loader, but if you find issues,
> I will fix them... :)  ).  Note, in the loader if an org is moved, or 
> renamed, then it will delete the old, create the new,
> which might give other problems... but maybe we can add some features there 
> :)
> 
> https://wiki.internet2.edu/confluence/display/GrouperWG/Grouper+-+Loader
> 
> Kind regards,
> Chris
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Loris Bennett 
> > [mailto:]
> > Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 9:39 AM
> > To: Grouper Users Mailing List
> > Subject: [grouper-users] Grouper-WS: Strategies for moving
> > groups/stems?
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > On the roadmap the "Namespace Transition Support" is listed. I was
> > wondering what the status of this is and what strategies people are
> > using as a workaround. Specifically I am interested in how to deal
> > which
> > changes in an organizational structure.
> >
> > Currently I am doing the following:
> >
> >         1. read the organizational structure from a human resources
> >         database
> >         2. construct a corresponding structure of folders in Grouper
> >         using the web services interface
> >         3. add a standard group to each folders
> >         4. read the user data from the HR database
> >         5. add the users to the standard group in the appropriate
> >         folders.
> >
> > If, say, HR decides to move a group from one unit within a department
> > to
> > another, that group should remain a member of the department, but
> > should
> > no longer be a member of any unit-specific groups.
> >
> > I would envisage doing something like:
> >
> >         1. create new group in the new unit
> >         2. add members of old group to new group
> >         3. determine memberships of old group
> >         4. recreate memberships which need to be preserved
> >         5. add any new memberships required
> >         6. delete all old memberships
> >         7. delete old group
> >
> > Steps 4 and 5 would require some human interaction regarding what
> > exactly should be done.
> >
> > My questions are:
> >
> >         1. Is this the approach that other people are taking?
> >         2. Are there any alternatives?
> >         3. Will "Namespace Transition Support" provide this
> >         functionality?
> >         4. When might NTS be available?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Loris
> >
> > --
> > Dr. Loris Bennett
> > Computer Centre
> > Freie Universität Berlin
> > Berlin, Germany
>