Directory Service
Provide information about resources on the LAN
Active Directory Service (ADS) by Microsoft
- Works like a DNS service
- ADS servers (aka, domain servers) act as DNS servers as well
- Resources organized into a tree
- Each branch contains a domain (a group of resources)
- A domain has a server (domain controller)
- Responsible for resolving address information (textual name of resource ? network address)
- Responsible for managing authorization
- A tree can be linked to other trees creating “forest”
- Uses Lightweight Directory Service Protocol (LDAP) to interact with client computers