using wildcards in LDAP search filters/queries

Question

I have very limited knowledge in AD and LDAP queries so I have a simple question on how to use wildcards.

Supposed there is object with a displayName of "ITSM - Problem Management"

My current implementation of the filter with a wildcard is as such:

(displayName=SEARCHKEYWORD*) 

If a user would enter a keyword of "Problem", he wouldn't be able to find the object since it needs the first part of the name, that is "ITSM - "

I would like to implement the wildcard on both ends like below:

(displayName=*SEARCHKEYWORD*) 

Ideally, this would allow the entry of "Problem" and have it search for "ITSM - Problem Management". But the wildcard doesn't seem to work when you put it at the start. When I tried it, it just seems to hang-up and not return any results.

Any ideas or thoughts on how I can resolve this? Any input would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

A filter argument with a trailing * can be evaluated almost instantaneously via an index lookup. A leading * implies a sequential search through the index, so it is O(N). It will take ages.

I suggest you reconsider the requirement.

Answer 2

Your best bet would be to anticipate prefixes, so:

"(|(displayName=SEARCHKEY*)(displayName=ITSM - SEARCHKEY*)(displayName=alt prefix - SEARCHKEY*))" 

Clunky, but I'm doing a similar thing within my organization.