(NDS) system is a
global, distributed, replicated database built into NetWare Services
(NWS) that maintains information about, and provides access
to, every resource on the network.
NDS treats all network resources (users, groups, printers, volumes, computers, and so forth) as objects in a distributed database known as the NetWare Directory database (also referred to as the Directory).
The NetWare Directory database organizes objects, independent of their physical location, in a hierarchical tree structure called the Directory tree.
Users and network supervisors can access any network service without having to know the physical location of the server that stores the service.
NetWare Directory Services makes it possible to integrate a diverse network of resources into a single, easy-to-use environment.
The Directory replaces the bindery, which served as the system database for previous releases of NetWare. While the bindery supports the operation of a single NetWare server, NetWare Directory Services supports an entire network of servers.
So, instead of storing all information on one server, which can be a single point of failure, information is distributed over a global database.
Compatibility with previous versions of NetWare is provided through bindery services.
NetWare Directory Services helps you manage Directory resources such as NetWare servers and volumes, but it does not provide control over the file system (files and file directories). Graphical and text utilities are available to help you control the file system.
The following topics are essential to an understanding of UnixWare NDS: