OK, so directory services aren't new and the open-source movement has been under way for many moons. Then why is it so interesting that Novell has expanded the reach of its Novell Directory Services (NDS) eDirectory to Linux?

Stepping back for a minute may answer that question.

In the past, directory services have been implemented within the corporate walls as a way to better manage internal network users and resources. Today, directory services still do what they have done in the past, but companies are now discovering additional benefits of directory services.

First, by directory-enabling business applications, companies can yield a secure, cost-effective, and highly manageable approach to doing business online--whether internally or externally--with customers, suppliers, and other business partners. For example, directory-enabled Web-based business applications can be used to gather and analyze online customer habits. This is a useful way to develop a business strategy that encourages personalization and repeat business.

Second, business-to-business functions can also gain from directory enablement. For example, you might directory-enable your inventory database and enable your suppliers to securely access it so that they can automatically replenish your stock when necessary.

Third, using directory services, business processes, and workflow can be more tightly integrated, streamlined, and automated. Any of these three benefits of a directory-based approach to networking and business applications can yield significant cost savings or revenue increase for your company.

So why get excited because Novell has brought its directory services (NDS eDirectory) to Linux? Lots of reasons.

First, Novell's NDS is a mature, platform-independent directory-service product. It is now available on Solaris, Linux, NetWare, Windows NT, and Windows 2000. Novell also expects to add support for Tru 64 Unix this year. This is in contrast to competitors, such as Microsoft's new Active Directory, that need time to mature--and only support the Windows platform at present.

Your network, like mine, is probably composed of many different network operating systems. You might well be using NetWare for file and print services, Linux for Web serving, and perhaps Solaris for running your Web site's community. In addition, those outside your company--suppliers and business partners--most likely are running a variety of network operating systems.

Being able to leverage a single directory service to manage directory-enabled applications and network resources from a single point can be very cost-effective.

Novell's NDS eDirectory also boasts good stability and easy administration. Industry research firm International Data Corp. (IDC) projects that NDS eDirectory will continue to be the leading directory service on network operating systems through 2005.

The same report also shows that the open standard Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) will dominate the client side of the picture. NDS eDirectory is fully capable of integrating with LDAP-based clients and applications. And Novell announced at its recent Brainshare conference that eDirectory will soon become a pure LDAP product.

Let's Try it Out!

I found setting up Novell's NDS eDirectory on Linux to be very straightforward. I tested it on both Red Hat Linux versions 6.1 and 6.2 and I was able to configure basic network directory services in a fraction of the time it previously has taken me to configure Microsoft's new Active Directory.

This is another boon for those choosing NDS eDirectory. Industry estimates for planning an installation that includes Microsoft's Active Directory are lengthy (as much as nine months), while getting NDS eDirectory up and running is a much easier affair.

This, in turn, will save companies time, money, and administrator training costs, which are required for those choosing Microsoft's Active Directory.

Readers interested in Linux and other open-source technologies will find that Novell expects to release some of the source code for its NDS eDirectory. How much source code Novell releases remains up in the air as this article goes to press.

On the other hand, some readers may be squeamish about adopting Linux and open source in general because of a perception that support for these products is not available. Don't worry--Linux and Novell's NDS eDirectory both have full commercial support packages available. Linux also has been embraced by myriad other commercial software providers (e.g. Oracle, IBM, Sybase) as well as gaining a steady stream of high-quality open-source products.

I like NDS eDirectory for Linux for other reasons, too.

Novell supplies a software development kit--called OpenLDAP SDK--that helps developers directory-enable business applications. Novell's NDS eDirectory is also supported by a wide variety of software development paradigms and tools, including ActiveX controls, Oracle's Network Computing Architecture, Symantec's Visual Café, Java, JavaScript, C/C++, and ODBC. Already, more than 400 commercial applications can leverage NDS eDirectory, and more are expected.

Novell claims that NDS eDirectory can scale to more than 1 billion objects. Those interested in benchmarks may want to reference research conducted by Keylabs Inc., an independent testing facility that test drove Novell's NDS eDirectory, Microsoft's Active Directory, and iPlanet (formerly Netscape) Directory Server. These particular benchmarks show NDS eDirectory outpacing its competitors.

Novell NDS eDirectory implementation on Linux is a good value for companies who want to stick to the budget while increasing network and business-application efficiency. Give it a test drive if you are considering adding Linux to your network configuration, or if you need to better manage a mixed networking environment without killing your pocketbook. Trial versions are available at Novell's download page.

Maggie Biggs is the director of the InfoWorld Test Center, where she evaluates emerging technologies. She has more than 15 years of wired and wireless IT experience.

Sidebar 1

The Directory-Enabling Process

You might directory-enable your Web site applications using Novell's NDS eDirectory so you can better analyze your customer's online habits and thereby support greater personalization and repeat business.

Directory-enabled e-business applications that leverage NDS eDirectory can be used to securely automate supply-chain processes.

Sidebar 2

Novell's NDS eDirectory includes:

NDS Server--Where eDirectory resides ConsoleOne--Manages network users and resources NDS Manager--Manages servers, partitions, replicas, and the eDirectory schema Novell Client--Provides end-user access to eDirectory LDAP--Version 3 with SSL Integration with applications written to the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Bulkload Utility--Used to move multiple objects into eDirectory in a single operation Repair Utility--Identifies and corrects problems within the eDirectory database Backup Utility--Saves and restores eDirectory objects and schema Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) support--Secures transmission across public networks