Tutorial 4: Directories: Managing Data for Networked Applications
Divesh Srivastava · 2005
Directories have recently emerged as an essential component of the network infrastructure, and are being used to store a wide variety of information to support network applications. These include address books for messaging applications, user preferences for configuration management, access control lists and certificates for security applications, and profiles and policies in the DEN (directory enabled networks) initiative. Network directory data is typically heterogeneous, highly distributed and replicated, requiring autonomy across multiple directory servers while allowing for conceptual unity, in a way that is not well supported by conventional relational or object-oriented databases. Efficient management of such data creates new challenges and exciting opportunities for the database community.