Before you install Directory Server, we recommend that you read the Netscape Directory Server Deployment Guide. This guide covers key concepts on how to design and plan your directory service.

After you finish planning your directory service, follow the steps in this installation guide to install the Directory Server and its related software components.

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.

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.
  
  
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  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. On UNIX, /usr/netscape/servers is the default installation directory. On Windows, c:\netscape\servers is the default installation directory. 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/...

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

• Netscape Directory Server Administrator's Guide. Contains procedures for the day-to-day maintenance of your directory service. Includes information on configuring server-side plug-ins.
  
  
• Netscape Directory Server Deployment Guide. Contains procedures for the day-to-day maintenance of your directory service. Includes information on configuring server-side plug-ins.
  
  
• Netscape Directory Server Configuration, Command, and File Reference. Contains information about using the command-line scripts shipped with Directory Server.
  
  
• Netscape Directory Server Schema Reference. Contains information about the Directory Server schema.
  
  
• Netscape Directory Server Plug-in Programmer's Guide. Describes how to write server plug-ins in order to customize and extend the capabilities of Directory Server.
  
  
• Netscape Directory Server Gateway Customization Guide. Introduces Directory Server Gateway and explains how to implement a gateway instance with basic directory look-up functionality. Also contains information useful for implementing a more powerful gateway instance with directory authentication and administration capability.
  

For a list of documentation installed with Directory Server, open this file: