Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services Overview
Introduction
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS), formerly known as Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM), is a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory service in Windows Server that provides directory services for directory-enabled applications. In this overview, we'll explore the key features and components of Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services.
Key Features
- Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Support: AD LDS supports the LDAP protocol, allowing directory-enabled applications to perform LDAP operations to query and manage directory data.
- Directory Partitions: AD LDS organizes directory data into logical partitions called directory partitions, which can be replicated and managed independently of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).
- Flexible Schema: AD LDS provides a flexible schema that can be customized to define object classes and attributes specific to the requirements of directory-enabled applications.
- Application Directory Partitions: AD LDS supports application directory partitions, which are directory partitions that contain data specific to individual applications or services.
- Replication: AD LDS supports multi-master replication, allowing directory data to be replicated between AD LDS instances to ensure data availability and fault tolerance.
Components of Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services
- AD LDS Instance: An AD LDS instance is a standalone directory service that hosts directory data and provides LDAP access to directory-enabled applications.
- Directory Partitions: Directory partitions are logical containers that store directory data within an AD LDS instance. Each directory partition has its own schema and replication settings.
- Application Directory Partitions: Application directory partitions are directory partitions that contain data specific to individual applications or services hosted by AD LDS.
- LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) Files: LDIF files are text files used to import and export directory data to and from AD LDS instances.
Conclusion
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services is a versatile directory service that provides LDAP support for directory-enabled applications. With its flexible schema, directory partitions, and replication capabilities, AD LDS is well-suited for building lightweight directory solutions to meet the needs of diverse application environments.
