| Platform SDK: Active Directory, ADSI, and Directory Services |
It is common to find a variety of directories — many playing an administrative role — that are deployed within a single organization. These include network resource directories, such as an LDAP-based directory like Active Directory, Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system directory service, and Novell NetWare Directory Services (NDS), as well as application-specific directories, such as Microsoft Exchange. Although a single directory for an entire organization is desirable, no product available today can fill this very large requirement.
Multiple directories in the organization pose complex challenges to users, administrators, and developers. These problems have limited wide-directory deployment. End users face multiple logons and a variety of interfaces to information across multiple directories. Administrators face the complexity of managing multiple directories. End users and administrators want application developers to use an existing administrative directory, but developers face a dilemma — which one should they use? Each directory offers unique application interfaces. Developers must choose a specific directory implementation, or support multiple versions of their application. As a result, developers seldom use existing directory services.