C H A P T E R 1
Concepts
Open Directory is a directory service architecture whose programming interface provides a centralized way for applications and services to retrieve information stored in directories. Often, the information that is being sought is configuration information stored in a NetInfo database or in flat files, with each file having its own record format and field delimiters. Examples of configuration information include users and groups (/etc/passwd and /etc/group), and automount information (/mounts). Open Directory uses standard record types and attributes to describe configuration information so that Open Directory clients have no need to know the details of record formats and data encoding.
Earlier directory services, such as lookupd and NetInfo, took the first steps in providing access to configuration information but were limited in their capabilities. For example, lookupd provides support for reading but does not provide support for writing, and it does not provide support for authentication. Open Directory continues the evolution of directory services by providing expanded functionality. For example, Open Directory can write data as well as read it, and Open Directory includes support for a variety of authentication methods.
While providing support for lookupd and NetInfo, Open Directory’s primary protocol is LDAP (supporting LDAPv2 and LDAPv3). As a result, Open Directory provides a way of accessing and sharing data using both LDAP and NetInfo. Open Directory provides seamless and automatic integration of Apple Computer’s directory services and
Open Directory Overview
Open Directory consists of the DirectoryService daemon and Open Directory
Open Directory Overview | 9 |