Appendix D. The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
SOME OF THE MAIN TOPICS IN THIS APPENDIX ARE
A Quick Introduction to LDAP 1118 The X.500 Protocols and Standards 1118 The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol 1121 LDAP Directories 1124
A few years ago the term directory services was understood by few, even though Novell's directory, NDS, and Banyan Vines StreetTalk products had been around for many years. Microsoft was quick to tell you that Windows NT 4.0 Server had a directory service, but it was just the same old Security Accounts Manager database with a few extras added. In Windows 2000, Microsoft finally got around to creating a true directory based on the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and support for this protocol has continued on in products like Windows Server 2003. NetWare 6.x has improved in the directory field by enabling an interface for NDS that acts as a go-between to allow native LDAP access to what is now called the eDirectory. In this appendix you will learn about the LDAP, and the history behind directory services that led to the development of a lighter version of directory services that is the de facto standard today for networks as well as many Internet services.
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