This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Timo Reusch
A directory service is defined as a retrievable store of information (software, hardware, processes, policies, and administrative procedures 1) organized into objects. Each object has a certain set of attributes associated with it 2. For example, Active Directory Domain Services stores user account objects with information such as names, passwords, phone numbers 3. A directory service encompasses various essential components, including 1:
- The data stored within the directory
- Software servers that manage and store the directory’s data
- Software clients that enable users or other systems to access and utilize the directory’s data
- The physical hardware supporting both clients and servers
- Supporting software like operating systems and drivers that facilitate functionality
- The networking infrastructure, connecting clients to servers and linking servers with one another
- Policies defining access permissions, update protocols, and storage guidelines
- Maintenance and monitoring procedures ensuring the directory service’s proper operation
- Tools and software specifically designed for managing and supervising the directory service
Directory services share some functionality with databases; however, there is one main demarcation criteria: They are optimized for reads, since this is the majority of operations executed and the data is usually not changing regularly. A very widespread directory service is Active Directory Domain Services.
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T. Howes, M. Smith, and G. S. Good, Understanding and Deploying LDAP Directory Services. Addison-Wesley Professional, 2003. Online ↩
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S. Clines and M. Loughry, Active Directory for Dummies. Newark, United States: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2008. ↩
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Microsoft, "Active Directory Domain Services Overview," Nov. 2024. Online ↩
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Timo Reusch
Timo Reusch | Sciencx (2025-03-17T22:24:24+00:00) Directory Services in General. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/03/17/directory-services-in-general/
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