[ Thanks to Lee
Schlesinger for this link. ]
“A directory service stores information about users and other
entities, such as clients and printers, in a database that maps
values to names and vice versa. This data offers a centralized
repository that you can use to simplify network security
management. Directory services, properly implemented, lessen the
possibility of chaos and disorder on a large network.“How does a directory service simplify an administrator’s job?
Imagine a hundred-user network where people come and go, and you,
the systems administrator, have to create and delete users not only
for access to the operating system but on the many applications
that also require authorization. This can become a time-consuming
nightmare. One important use of directory services is storing
usernames and passwords in a centralized location, relieving you of
a significant burden. “