Directory Services Strategic Overview:
The Advent of Directory-Enabled Computing
Directory services will be the foundation for distributed computing systems. And because they will enable a new, more logical approach to network implementation and use, directories will have a dramatic impact for the better on the way networks are used and managed. They will also make possible a new generation of distributed applications. We call this "directory-enabled computing," and it will be the most significant technology issue for customers as we approach the end of the decade.
But a great deal of confusion currently surrounds directory services, primarily because their value is not very clear to the majority of organizations. In short, the current generation of directory services are little more than administrative tools, and therefore incapable of realizing their full potential.
As the foundation for distributed computing, directory services will essentially define the network. But before that goal can be realized, next-generation directory services capable of serving that role must emerge. Next-generation directory services will act as a superset of the application-specific and NOS-based directories already deployed in most organizations. Through integration with object-oriented and distributed file systems, next-generation directory services will also provide a truly global name space capable of accommodating all types of data, not just administrative data. That integration will also enable a search model that will allow users to search for data based not only on file names and other attributes, but on content as well.
In addition, application interfaces to directory services that are intrinsic to the most widely used client environments must be created. Only when directory access is an integrated part of the development environment used to create client and server applications will developers be able to see a business case for using them.
Finally, customers will have to deal with the political and organization issues involved in implementing directories. Once these issues are resolved, it's clear that directories will the fundamental enabling technology of a new generation of networks.
If you would like to view the complete Burton Group report on directory services, check out their web site where they offer a detailed report on Directory Services.
