LDAP Directories Explained: An Introduction and Analysis

Directory technology promises to solve the problem of decentralized information that has arisen with the explosion of distributed computing. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a set of protocols that has become the Internet standard for accessing information directories. Until now, however, those curious about LDAP had no introductory source to learn how the technology can help them centrally manage information and reduce the cost of computing services.

LDAP Directories Explained provides technical managers and those new to directory services with a fundamental introduction to LDAP. This concise guide examines how the technology works and gives an overview of the most successful directory products in an easy-to-reference format.

Key topics include:

• An overview of LDAP, including how directories differ from databases
• The LDAP namespace, with an overview of DNS, LDAP object structure, and LDAP object naming
• Client LDAP operations, including directory-enabled services and applications, searches, and the LDAP protocol
• LDAP schema, including object classes, attributes, syntaxes, matching rules, and more
• Directory management, including directory integration strategies, metadirectories, security, and more
• LDAP vendors OpenLDAP, Microsoft Active Directory, and Directory Server
• A case study of Stanford University's directory architecture, which illustrates how integral an LDAP directory can become to a business

If you are an information technology manager, LDAP Directories Explained will provide the technical foundation you need to make sound business decisions about LDAP. If you're a developer, this straightforward reference will bring you quickly up to speed on LDAP and directories.