How the Proxy Manages Secure Connections

The Oracle Unified Directory proxy manages both the security with the client and with the directory server. The proxy supports both SSL and StartTLS.

When you configure Oracle Unified Directory proxy security, you must specify how the proxy connects to the remote LDAP server by indicating if the proxy should use SSL always, never, or user.

If you configure Oracle Unified Directory proxy security as always, then regardless how the client connects to the proxy, the connection with the remote LDAP server will always be secured using SSL.

Similarly, if you configure Oracle Unified Directory proxy security as never, then regardless if the client connects to the proxy with a secure connection, the connection between the proxy and the remote LDAP directory server will not be secured.

If you configure Oracle Unified Directory proxy security as user, then the security between the proxy and the remote LDAP directory servers will be the same as the security between the client and the proxy. For example, if the client connect with SSL, then the connection with the remote LDAP server will also use SSL. One notable exception is if the client connects using StartTLS, then Oracle Unified Directory proxy will connect to the remote LDAP servers using SSL.

For more information see Modes of Secure Connection.