Directories are integral to network management and e-business,
writes Nick Langley.
What is it?
Directories have long been used to manage
user identities and devices across networks. Now they are part of
e-business infrastructures, managing access to resources within and
outside the company.
The two leading commercial products are Novell's eDirectory -
formerly Netware Directory Services (NDS) - and Microsoft's Active
Directory, but there are other options.
The X.500 Directory Access Protocol, an ITU-TS standard, has been
confined to government, defence and other organisations where
security overrides ease of use. The Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDap) is a simpler, commercially viable implementation of
X.500 for Internet use.
Where did it originate?
NDS was released with Netware 4
in 1993. Active Directory was first shipped with Windows 2000.
What is it for?
Microsoft describes Active Directory as
a directory service for distributed computing environments.
Similarly, Novell eDirectory "centralises the management of user
identities, access privileges and other network resources".
What makes it special?
Microsoft says, "In addition to
providing comprehensive directory services to a Windows
environment, Active Directory is designed to be a consolidation
point for isolating, migrating, centrally managing and reducing the
number of directories that companies require."
However, Novell, with a more mature and stable product, has won the
backing of some major analysts. A report by Gartner Group from June
2001 says, "Active Directory is a 1.0 release of a Microsoft
technology, it is not as technically capable as NDS and will not be
for at least four years.
"Heterogeneity will continue to be a Novell strength and a
Microsoft weakness."
Microsoft counters that Active Directory has better security
services, is a better platform for directory consolidation, and has
the support of more infrastructure and applications
suppliers.
Where is it used?
Novell claims that 90% of Fortune 500
companies use NDS/eDirectory, and there are more than 178 million
user identities worldwide and hundreds of millions of applications
and devices.
Estimates on how many Windows 2000 users are deploying Active
Directory range from Microsoft's claim of 75% to Giga Information
Group's February 2001 finding that less than 15% were using the
product in any way, and that the majority had no immediate plans to
implement it.
How difficult is it?
Basic training in eDirectory or
Active Directory will take experienced Netware or NT/Windows 2000
professionals five days.
What does it run on?
As well as Windows NT and Windows
2000, Active Directory also supports Netware 5, as a way of
providing Novell users with a migration path. Novell claims
eDirectory supports Netware, Windows NT/2000, Solaris, Linux,
Compaq's Tru64 Unix and IBM AIX.
LDap is supported by Novell, Sun/iPlanet, IBM, Oracle, Critical
Path, SAP and BEA among others, but only to a limited degree by
Active Directory, through the proprietary Active Directory Services
Interface (ADSI).
What's coming up?
The Directory Interoperability Forum, part of the Open Group, is
working on standards to enable directories to interoperate freely,
regardless of supplier.
Training
For details of Microsoft's certified training
partners see
www.microsoft.com/uk/skills.
To find your nearest Novell certified training centre go to
syndication.solutioncentral.com/syndsearch.asp?iSyndid=66.
LDap training is offered by companies that support it, and there
are plenty of Web-based resources, some free, that can be found
through any search engine.
Rates of pay
Active Directory support roles command
about £25,000, while those working in design and implementation can
expect between £35,000 and £40,000. Novell skills tend to be better
rewarded than Microsoft.