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In the directory domain
Mark Gibbs, Backspin and Gearhead

In my mind, the most crucial product category in enterprise networking is global directory service. Without a sound, comprehensive global directory strategy, the ever-expanding scope and scale of enterprise networks and their consequent management overhead will inevitably overwhelm the capabilities (and financial resources) of even the largest organizations.

Quick look Active Directory Microsoft Pricing: Priced as part of Windows 2000 Server. Market status: In beta, scheduled for release by year-end.

It's not for lack of choice. We've got metadirectories such as Zoomit's VIA (recently acquired by Microsoft), Netscape's LDAP-based Directory Server or IBM's SecureWay directory, plus the grand old man of PC-based directory services: Novell's NDS, a tested and proved seven-year-old solution in its eighth release. The fact is none of these products has really defined the market.

But we're about to witness a seismic event with Microsoft's release of Active Directory Services (ADS) as a subsystem of Windows 2000. ADS, a Windows NT-only global directory service, boasts a number of interesting and compelling features.

To begin with, it's from Microsoft. This fact alone provides the impetus for the enterprise world to grasp ADS - not to mention the whole notion that we need global directory services -- firmly to its bosom as if it were the true, long-lost solution to a unified directory strategy.

Second, ADS leverages Microsoft's existing domain-based security so all those organizations that committed to a Microsoft uber alles strategy will feel that the implied migration path is a rational choice.

These two features are enough to jump-start the market and ensure that global directory services are actually implemented in real enterprise networking environments. But will enterprise network managers be happy? It is easily argued from recent analyses of ADS that, at best, network managers won't be completely happy. Be that as it may, ADS is going to redefine and, in the process, validate the global directory services market, and there's only one thing that could diminish Microsoft's potential hegemony: Novell's presence. There are rumors that Novell may make NDS for NT free (currently Novell charges $29 per seat). If that happens before the release of ADS, it could become one of the biggest market spoilers of all time.

However this drama plays out, the directory services category will be validated and definitively broken in the next few months - and not a moment too soon for enterprise networking.

Related links

Gibbs is a Network World contributing editor. Send directory directions to best@gibbs.com.

Active Directory overview from Microsoft.

Forum: Directories
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Active Directory: Great leap forward or long march?
Dan Blum, Network World, 9/13/99.

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InfoWorld, 9/30/99.

Review: Active Directory migration tools
Aelita's Enterprise Suite tops our list. Network World, 8/16/99.

How to avoid directory service headaches
Replication technology can bite users who are unaware of its limitations. Network World, 9/6/99.

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Both companies are focused on Active Directory and Novell Directory Services integration issues. Network World, 10/18/99.

NDS gap puts users in a bind
DirXML replaces redirect, which may not be good for users in mixed environments. Network World, 10/25/99.

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