Here is my contribution to the requested definitions.
--
Directory service = a software system that responds to requests for information
about entities, e.g. people in an organization. It's a system for managing
access to computer resources, keeping track of the users of a network,... from
a single point of administration. It allows a network administrator to set up
and control a database of users and resources and manage them using a directory
(by example with an easy-to-use GUI, Graphical User Interface). Users,
computers, sites,... can be added, updated and managed centrally ; applications
can be distributed electronically.
Microsoft Active Directory, Network Information Service (NIS), Novell Directory
Service (NDS) and X.500 are examples of directory services.
--
Address registry = a registry of numbers or addresses with some corresponding
data, e.g. names. Such a registry helps maintain names, which are identifiers
that are mapped to numbers or addresses.
Let's say a Directory Service is multi-dimensional, in the sense it involves
many types of data, many levels of information you have to search in, while an
Address Registry has one dimension, in the sense it just maps addresses to
their corresponding name, like a telephone registry, DNS, WINS, the "hosts"
file or the "lmhosts" file.
--
So, what is DNS? In the TCP/IP world, the Domain Name System (DNS) is a
distributed database that provides the mapping between IP addresses and
hostnames. It's just an address registry.
--
E.T.
-----Original Message-----
From: Gabriel Landowski [mailto:gabriel_landowski(_at_)yahoo(_dot_)com]
For the sake of a good discussion can we please have a
definition of "directory service" and "address
registry" to make sure we are all on the same page.
I think we will find that defining these may be the
issue, and this will clarify the discussion to
something that we can get our arms around.
Gabriel Landowski
Mindangle Consulting
--- "Durah, Kheder" <K(_dot_)DURAH(_at_)CGIAR(_dot_)ORG> wrote:
Dear Colleagues.
This is my first transmission to IETF, and would
like to second the fact
that DNS is an address registry and not a directory
service.
RGDS
Kheder Durah, Ph.D.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim_Stephenson-Dunn(_at_)3com(_dot_)com
As I recall, didn't we (members of the IETF list)
almost have a holy (flame)
war, about wheather DNS was a directory service
about 6 months ago......
Once more into the breech dear friends........ (with
apologies to
Shakespeare)
Jim
Randy Bush <randy(_at_)psg(_dot_)com> on 12/08/2000 08:49:24 PM
Sent by: Randy Bush <randy(_at_)psg(_dot_)com>
Buzzt. 1000 times on the chauk board:
The DNS is not a directory service...
but it's an address registry?