Chapter 12. Choosing Directory Products

In Part III, "Deploying Your Directory Service," we turn our attention to the process of turning your directory design into a concrete, functional service. In this chapter, we discuss how to select the right directory software. We will then focus on how to pilot your directory service to validate and fine-tune your design in Chapter 13, "Piloting Your Directory Service." We will pause for a moment in Chapter 14, "Analyzing and Reducing Costs," to take a look at the costs of the directory service and how they can be minimized. Finally, we will throw the switch and put the directory service online in Chapter 15, "Going Production."

It is important to choose the right software to power your directory deployment. There are a number of directory server and client products available from a variety of sources, varying widely in capabilities and cost. If you choose the wrong products, your directory service deployment may fail or at least be more painful, costly, and less effective than it should be. If you choose the right products, your deployment should succeed with maximum effectiveness and minimum pain and cost. Your challenge is to pick the products that will best meet your directory needs and work well in your environment.