DIRECTORY SERVICES

Directory catalogs
A directory catalog is an optional directory database that typically contains information aggregated from multiple IBM® Lotus® Domino® Directories. Clients and servers can use a directory catalog to look up mail addresses and other information about the people, groups, mail-in databases, and resources throughout an organization, regardless of the number of Domino domains and Domino Directories the organization uses. A directory catalog includes the type of information that is important for directory services, and excludes other types of information that are part of a Domino Directory, for example Domino configuration information, such as information in Connection documents.

You use a directory catalog in conjunction with, rather than instead of, the primary Domino Directory and Contacts. A server searches its primary Domino Directory, and an IBM® Lotus® Notes® client searches its Contacts, before searching a directory catalog.

There are two types of directory catalogs: condensed Directory Catalogs and Extended Directory Catalogs. Condensed Directory Catalogs use a unique design based on the DIRCAT5.NTF template that enables them to be extremely small. Condensed Directory Catalogs are designed for use on Notes clients. A condensed Directory Catalog on a Notes client is also known as a Mobile Directory Catalog.

Extended Directory Catalogs use the same design as the Domino Directory, which is based on the PUBNAMES.NTF. They are larger than condensed Directory Catalogs, but are the recommended directory catalog for server use because they allow faster and more flexible directory lookups.

Servers can use a directory catalog for mail addressing, for processing LDAP service operations, to look up client authentication credentials, and to look up the members of groups in database ACLs when authorizing users' database access.

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