network authentication architecture

Simplify open directory access and permissions.

Open Directory is Apple’s standards-based directory and network authentication services architecture. A critical component of any modern network environment, directory services allow you to centralize information about users, groups, and computing resources in your organization. Maintaining this data in a central repository makes it possible for all servers on the network to access the same user accounts, settings, and authentication services. Directory services improve the security and manageability of your network environment, reducing administration costs.

Open Directory makes it easy to integrate Mac OS X client and server systems with your existing network infrastructure. The standards-based architecture provides compatibility with other LDAP servers and even with environments that use proprietary services such as Microsoft’s Active Directory or Novell’s eDirectory. And for organizations that haven’t yet deployed centralized directory services, the Open Directory server in Mac OS X Server offers an easy-to-deploy solution that scales to meet the needs of virtually any network environment.

Features

• Scalable LDAP directory server
• Integrated authentication authority
• Support for mixed-platform environments
• Easy to deploy and manage
• Compatible with existing infrastructure