Specifications

Chapter 1 Directory Service Concepts 25

The order in which Mac OS X searches directory domains is configurable. A search

policy determines the order in which Mac OS X searches directory domains. The next

chapter discusses search policies.

Access to Directory Services

Open Directory can access directory domains in the following kinds of directory

services:

• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), an open standard commonly used in

mixed environments and the native directory service for shared directories in

Mac OS X Server version 10.3

• NetInfo, the legacy directory service of Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server

• Active Directory, the directory service of Microsoft Windows 2000 and 2003 servers

• Network Information System (NIS), a directory service of many UNIX servers

• BSD flat files, the legacy directory service of UNIX systems

Discovery of Network Services

Open Directory can provide more than administrative data from directories. Open

Directory can also provide information about services that are available on the

network. For example, Open Directory can provide information about file servers that

are currently available.

Open Directory can discover network services that make their existence and

whereabouts known. Services make themselves known by means of standard

protocols. Open Directory supports the following service discovery protocols:

• Rendezvous, the Apple protocol that uses multicast DNS for discovering file, print,

chat, music sharing, and other network services

• AppleTalk, the legacy protocol for discovering file, print, and other network services

File server

Open