Netscape Directory Server Administrator's Guide: Introduction

Administrator's Guide
Netscape Directory Server

Introduction

Netscape Directory Server (Directory Server) is a powerful and scalable distributed directory server based on the industry-standard Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Directory Server is the cornerstone for building a centralized and distributed data repository that can be used in your intranet, over your extranet with your trading partners, or over the public Internet to reach your customers.

This Administrator's Guide describes all of the administration tasks you need to perform to maintain Directory Server.

Directory Server Overview

Directory Server provides the following key features:

Multi-master replication—Provides a highly available directory service for both read and write operations. Multi-master replication can be combined with simple and cascading replication scenarios to provide a highly flexible and scalable replication environment.

Chaining and referrals—Increases the power of your directory by storing a complete logical view of your directory on a single server while maintaining data on a large number of directory servers, transparently for clients.

Roles and Class of Service—Provides a flexible mechanism for grouping and sharing attributes between entries in a dynamic fashion.

Improved access control mechanism—Provides support for macros that dramatically reduce the number of access control statements used in the directory, and increase the scalability of access control evaluation.

Resource-limits by bind DN—Gives you the power to control the amount of server resources allocated to search operations based on the bind DN of the client.

Multiple databases—Provides a simple way of breaking down your directory data to simplify the implementation of replication and chaining in your directory service.

Password Policy and Account Lockout—Allows you to define a set of rules that govern how passwords and user accounts are managed in the Directory Server.

SSL—Provides secure communications over the network including ciphers with up to 168-bit encryption.

The major components of Directory Server include:

An LDAP server—The core of the directory service, provided by the ns-slapd daemon, and compliant with the LDAP v3 Internet standards.

Directory Server Console—An improved management console that dramatically reduces the effort of setting up and maintaining your directory service. The directory console is part of Netscape Console, the common management framework for Netscape servers.

SNMP Agent—Permits you to monitor your Directory Server in real time using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Online backup and restore—Allows you to create backups and restore from backups while the server is running.

Prerequisite Reading

This manual describes how to administer the Directory Server and its contents. However, this manual does not describe many of the basic directory and architectural concepts that you need to successfully deploy, install, and administer your directory service. Those concepts are contained in the Netscape Directory Server Deployment Guide. You should read that book before continuing with this manual.

When you are familiar with Directory Server concepts and have done some preliminary planning for your directory service, you can install the Directory Server. The instructions for installing the various Directory Server components are contained in the Netscape Directory Server Installation Guide.

Also, Managing Servers with Netscape Console contains general background information on how to use Netscape servers. You should read and understand the concepts in that book before you attempt to administer Directory Server.

Conventions Used in This Book

This section explains the conventions used in this book.

Monospaced font—This typeface is used for any text that appears on the computer screen or text that you should type. It is also used for filenames, functions, and examples.

Note

Notes and Cautions mark important information. Make sure you read the information before continuing with a task.

The greater than symbol (>) is used as a separator for successive menu selections. For example, Object > New > User means that you should pull down the Object menu, drag the mouse down to highlight New, and drag the mouse across to the New submenu in which you must select User.

Throughout this book you will see path references of the form:

serverRoot/slapd-serverID/...

serverRoot is the installation directory. For Directory Server 5.x and 6.x, /usr/netscape/servers is the default installation directory on UNIX. On Windows, it is c:\usr\netscape\servers. If you have installed Directory Server in a different location, you should adapt the path accordingly.

serverID is the ID or identifier you assigned to an instance of Directory Server when you installed it. For example, if you gave the server an identifier of phonebook, then the actual path would look like this: /usr/netscape/servers/slapd-phonebook/. . .

All paths specified in this manual are in UNIX format. If you are using a Windows-based Directory Server, you should assume the equivalent file paths whenever UNIX file paths are shown in this book.

In examples/sample code, paths assume that the Directory Server is installed in the default location /usr/netscape/servers. If you have installed your Directory Server in a different location, adapt the paths accordingly. Also, all examples use phonebook for the server identifier where appropriate.

Related Information

The document set for Directory Server also contains the following guides:

Netscape Directory Server Installation Guide. Contains procedures for installing your Directory Server as well as procedures for migrating from a previous installation of Directory Server.

Netscape Directory Server Deployment Guide. Provides an overview for planning your deployment of the Directory Server. Includes deployment examples.

Netscape Directory Server Configuration, Command, and File Reference. Provides reference information on the command-line scripts, configuration attributes, and log files shipped with Directory Server.

Netscape Directory Server Schema Reference. Provides reference information about the Netscape Directory Server schema.

Netscape Directory Server Plug-in Reference Guide. Describes how to write server plug-ins in order to customize and extend the capabilities of Directory Server.

For a list of documentation installed with Directory Server, open the <server_root>/manual/en/slapd/index.htm file, where <server_root> is the directory in which you installed Directory Server.

For the latest information about Directory Server, including current release notes, complete product documentation, technical notes, and deployment information, check this site: http://enterprise.netscape.com/docs

Last Updated August 15, 2002


Note	Notes and Cautions mark important information. Make sure you read the information before continuing with a task.