Lesson1.Understanding Directory Services

Lesson 1. Understanding Directory Services

Time

This lesson takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

Goals

Understand the need for directory services to store system data such as user records Identify what system data is appropriate to store using directory services Learn the relationship between a requestor, such as an application, and directory services data Learn how directory services enable data to be shared between multiple requestors Understand how directory services allow requestors to retrieve data from multiple sources

In this first section of the book, Part 1: "Directory Services Administration," you will learn the benefits and features of directory services in Mac OS X version 10.4. This first lesson introduces you to the concept of directory services, how they are used to provide common data to multiple services, and the format of the most frequently used directory services data types.

If you have spent time setting up Mac OS X computers and servers, you have probably heard of directory services. However, since directory services work behind the scenes, most people aren't even be aware of their presence unless they are misconfigured. Then everyone knows, because their computers do not work properly.