Apple Mac OS X Server (Administrator’s Guide) - Manual (Page 66)

66 Chapter 2
The Open Directory architecture also includes Open Directory Password Server. A Password
Server can securely store and validate the passwords of users who want to log in to client
computers on your network or use other network resources that require authentication. A
Password Server can also enforce such policies as password expiration and minimum length.
To understand the information in this chapter, you should be comfortable with Mac OS X.
You do not need advanced network administrator or UNIX experience to use directory
services provided by Mac OS X Servers. If you want to integrate LDAP directories from other
servers, you need to be familiar with LDAP. If you want to integrate Active Directory servers,
you need to be familiar with Active Directory and LDAP. You need to be comfortable with
UNIX if you want to integrate BSD configuration files.
Storage for Data Needed by Mac OS X
Directory services act as an intermediary between directory domains, which store
information about users and resources, and the application and system software processes
that want to use the information. A directory domain stores information in a specialized
database that is optimized to handle a great many requests for information and to find and
retrieve information quickly. Information may be stored in one directory domain or in
several related directory domains.
Processes running on Mac OS X computers can use directory services to save information in
a directory domain. For example, when you set up a user account, the application that you
use to do this has directory services store information about the user in a directory domain.
m On a computer with Mac OS X version 10.2, you use the My Account pane or the
Accounts pane of System Preferences to set up user accounts that are valid only on the
one computer.
m On a computer with Mac OS X Server version 10.2, you use the Accounts module of
Workgroup Manager to set up user accounts that are valid on all Mac OS X computers on
your network. You can specify additional user attributes in a network user account, such
as the location of the user’s home directory.
Printers
Groups
Servers
Users
Processes
Mounts Directory
domains
Directory
services