Abstract: System and method for implementing a forward compatibility syntax in a directory services environment is described. In one embodiment, data comprising an attribute according to a new syntax that is supported by newer servers, but not by older servers, is separated into data with respect to which referential integrity is not a concern (hereinafter “blob data”) and data with respect to which referential integrity is a concern (hereinafter Distinguished Names (“DNs”)). The two types of data are then combined according to a forward compatibility (“FC”) syntax that is supported by both older and newer servers. Only certain, newer, servers understand and convert between the FC syntax and the actual new syntax; older servers are capable of supporting the FC syntax without needing to understand it.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing replicated objects in a partitioned hierarchical database are disclosed. One method combines partition-wide object identifiers in order according to ancestry to form a database-wide object identifier that identifies a target object relative to all other objects in the database. Each partition-wide object identifier includes a replica identifier and at least one integer value. Suitable integer values include timestamp values, event counter values, random values, and GUID values. Other methods use the identifiers to access objects after a single object or a subtree of objects has been renamed or moved.