3.1.1.1.16 Delayed Link Processing

When an update to an object would result in removal of more than 10,000 forward link values, or the update would result in more than 10,000 forward link values to be made either visible or invisible to LDAP operations that do not specify the LDAP_SERVER_SHOW_DEACTIVATED_LINK_OID control, then at least 10,000 of the value changes so directed are completed within the transaction encompassing the modification (that is, the "originating transaction").

Note In Windows Server 2003 operating system, Windows Server 2003 R2 operating system, and Windows Server 2008 operating system, the number is 1,000 instead of 10,000.

Any values not so changed within the originating transaction are changed by continuing processing after and outside of that originating transaction. These changes that occur outside the originating transactions are called "delayed link processing". Delayed link processing occurs within one or more transactions subsequent to the originating transaction.

Although delayed link processing always uses at least one subsequent transaction, there is no constraint on the upper bound of the number of transactions that Active Directory uses during delayed link processing. Therefore, there is no requirement that at any given time all such values have been removed, made visible, or made invisible. It is possible that there is a period of time during which an object that SHOULD not have a specific value for a link valued attribute will continue to have that value. Likewise, it is possible that there is a period of time during which an object that SHOULD have a specific value for a link valued attribute be either visible or invisible might not have that value in the correct state. Although the protocol places no boundary or requirements on the length of this period of time, it is recommended that implementations minimize the length of this period of time to improve usability of the directory for clients.

The server MUST guarantee that all such changes to values of link valued attributes are eventually made to all affected link valued attributes.

Note In Windows 2000 Server operating system, delayed link processing is not supported.