Looking Ahead

This chapter has provided an overview of directories and directory services. Starting from a layman's understanding of everyday, offline directories, we've explained analogous online directories and the features that enable them to be used for new types of applications. By now, you should have a good idea of what a directory is and what it can do for you. Equally importantly, you should have a good idea of what a directory is not, and what you should not try to use it for. We also introduced LDAP by discussing its origins and some of its key features. Chapter 2, Introduction to LDAP, will describe LDAP thoroughly, in preparation for in-depth coverage of directory design.