Chapter 1. Introducing LDAP in the Solaris Operating Environment

Information flow is a critical factor contributing to the success of any large-scale enterprise. This flow of information needs to be rapid, reliable, accessible, and consistent to achieve the maximum benefit. To meet this need, directory services are becoming very popular.

LDAP-based directory services provide a central repository for storing and managing identity profiles, access privileges, and application and network resource information. The information can be used for the authentication and authorization of users, to enable secure access to enterprise and Internet services and applications on a global basis.

Since directory technology is rapidly moving forward with terms and concepts introduced almost monthly, a detailed definition of terms used throughout this book is presented in this chapter with summarized definitions in the glossary for quick reference. Basic LDAP concepts are explained because they are referenced throughout the book.

This chapter is organized into the following sections:

"Introduction" on page 2
"The Big Picture" on page 3
"LDAP Terms and Concepts" on page 6