Customer Database - Backend or LDAP

[studioelement]

Hi-

I've been using OTRS for a while now but I haven't really spent much time setting up the customer database. I would like to configure this now but I'm trying to decide between using the local database or connect to an LDAP/Active Directory database.

Which one are most of the installation using?

If I choose one, can I switch back to the other?

I notice you cannot delete a customer from the backend database, but you can make them 'inactive'. What happens if you use a LDAP/AD setup and delete the customer?

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

-Alex

[crythias]

My guess is *most* are using database back end, because LDAP/Active Directory isn't trivial to set up, plus *most* people aren't using this for customers that exist in LDAP. It doesn't mean it doesn't happen, it just means (based upon observance of questions asked on the forums) that either people figure out ldap connection or don't bother.

If I choose one, can I switch back to the other?

Yes. Tickets are stored with a customer login name and a customer_id. If your new customer database has them identical, that customer can see his old tickets. If not, the tickets still exist, but a given user may not see his old tickets.

Also, switching between ldap/AD and db means potentially dealing with two different data sources for customers (if you maintain them separately).

I notice you cannot delete a customer from the backend database, but you can make them 'inactive'. What happens if you use a LDAP/AD setup and delete the customer?

Nothing much. The ticket still exists. The customer doesn't, so there is no customer to contact on an old ticket.