A directory of names, profile information and machine addresses of every user and resource on the network. It is used to manage user accounts and network permissions. When sent a user name, it returns the attributes of that individual, which may include a telephone number as well as an e-mail address. Directory services use highly specialized databases that are typically hierarchical in design and provide fast lookups. See x.500, LDAP, naming service, Active Directory and ULS server.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Internet abuse and Cloud Computing
- A recent uproar in the right wing blogosphere about the shutdown of anti-Obama sites on blogger.com has some serious implications for those considering cloud computing. What seems to have happened there was a simple, if pernicious, denial of service attack carried out for political reasons - but there's not much...
- Blog posts 2008-07-05
- TechForward advocates the cause of temporary ownership
- I have been MEANING to write about the Los Angeles-based start-up TechForward for weeks now, but felt like I didn't have enough time to write the truly thoughtful post that it deserved. Now, I'm forcing myself to get off my butt, strangely enough, because I'm having a moral dilemma over...
- Blog posts 2008-07-04
- Stolen: Google employees' personal data
- Names, addresses, and Social Security numbers of pre-2006 staffers were taken from offices of Colt Express Outsourcing Services. Google has confirmed that personal data of U.S. employees hired prior to 2006 have been stolen in a recent burglary. Records kept at Colt Express Outsourcing Services, an external...
- News items 2008-07-03
- Viacom vs YouTube exposes Google's data retention policy
- Viacom vs YouTube exposes Google's data retention policyDon't trust GoogleGoogle has more information about more people, all over the world, than any government agency anywhere in the world. People worry about the Bush administration, but they should be worrying about Google.Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.If you don't...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- EIC podcast: Search wars; Viacom vs. YouTube (and its users)
- EIC podcast: Search wars; Viacom vs. YouTube and its usersViacom's Data DragnetIt seems to me that their is no justification for allowing this data dragnet.Whether dynamic or static, IP addresses can be traced back to many of the original users through data from Internet service providers. The Whitter article cited...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Nothing stealthy about this Windows Update update
- Nothing stealthy about this Windows Update updateStill got it wrong?!?!What part of "check for updates but let me decide" do they not understand???If the people at MS are feeling so benevolentwhy not have the programmers pop up a box when the update occurs, sort of hand holding for the wary.If...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- I have to stop using Gmail :(
- I have to stop using Gmail :(You can enable POP3 support in Gmail...If you switch on POP3 support in Gmail, then you can still comply with archiving procedures: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=13273That way, you can both send and receive e-mails with an e-mail client like Thunderbird or Evolution or even Outlook Express. I...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Can Mozilla's security metrics project end the patch-counting nonsense?
- Can Mozilla's security metrics project end the patch-counting nonsense?Can Mozilla's security metrics project end the patch-counting nonsense?I only had a quick look at the spreadsheet so I may be wrong. However it looks like this is bug counting exercise with a bit of 'how long were we exposed?' thrown in....
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Whither Blu-ray?
- Whither Blu-ray?It's the lack of HDTV ownersand the ignorance of those who do own that I think is the biggest issue. People who don't have HDTV would see no benefit to spending extra money on BluRay, and those who do own will never believe there is a difference unless you...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Can Mozilla's security metrics project end the patch-counting nonsense?
- In partnership with indie security consultant Rich Mogull left Mozilla has launched a valuable Security Metrics Project that could help to -- we can only hope -- put an end to the silly notion that patch-counting helps to determine a product's security posture. The idea is...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Judge: Viacom gets 12TB of YouTube user data
- A federal judge ordered PDF Google to hand over 12 terabytes of YouTube user data to Viacom, finding that the list of "login IDs" does not qualify as personally identifying information. In opposing Viacom's request for the information, Google had asserted users' privacy rights: "Plaintiffs would...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Weekend Gadget Guidance: Sync files between computers over the Web, free
- Freeware application and Web service Dropbox instantly backs up and syncs your files over the Internet and to any Windows or Mac computer. Once you install the application, it will create a Dropbox folder on your hard drive. Any file you put inside that folder will sync...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- I have to stop using Gmail :(
- Regular readers know that I'm a Google devotee. Between Gmail and Google Apps, I spend more time accessing Google servers than any other place on the Net. Since I forward my other school accounts to Gmail, I can use the slick Gmail interface with all of my mail....
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHA broken by spammers
- Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHA broken by spammersIt is impossible to manage...networks the size of Google with technology alone. It takes a real live person. Now we can expect more spam coming from these networks. Spam that will be harder to filter. If these companies can't manage their networks in...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- DJ your Independence Day party with your Mac
- If you're having people over to your house this weekend to celebrate Independence day (04 July, here in the U.S.) – a few tunes are probably in order. Luckily the Mac is one of the best platforms for creating a great party environment thanks to its vast music playback options,...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHA broken by spammers
- Breaking Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHAs, has been an urban legend for over two years now, with do-it-yourself CAPTCHA breaking services, and proprietary underground tools assisting spammers, phishers and malware authors into registering hundreds of thousands of bogus accounts for spamming and fraudulent purposes. ...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Helpdesks and productivity
- Helpdesks and productivityGood start, and then...You lost it.1980 CalledThey want their mainframes back. :DWhy don't you explain your present value...calculation. Do you even know what present value means? What time period are we talking?Huh?You imply that on a Sun Ray platform the only problems are the applications or how they...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Hyperic CloudStatus
- Back in May, I posted my take on Cloud computing. Since that time, I've spoken to quite a number of suppliers who are focused on supporting cloud computing, managing cloud computing, and even using cloud computing as a way to provide either a desktop or a server experience without the...
- Blog posts 2008-07-03
- Michael Dell's a believer: Makes a $100 million statement
- Michael Dell's a believer: Makes a $100 million statementDoes that make him...?Just wondering if that makes him the majority shareholder now? Or could that be his goal, to make sure he retains control over Dell as a rule because he may be considering stepping aside as CEO to pursue something...
- Discussion threads 2008-07-03
- Virtual Desktop (exe)
- Too many open windows on your desktop at a time? Virtual Desktop will create new desktops for you and let you to switch between desks and windows quick and easy. This project consist of two applications: one NT service which manage desktops and another which create desktops. This version is...
- Software downloads 2008-07-03
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