Lightweight Directory Access Protocol The Lightweight Directory
Access Protocol (LDAP) is a directory service protocol that runs
on a layer above the TCP/IP stack. It provides a mechanism used
to connect to, search, and modify Internet directories. The LDAP
directory service is based on a client-server model. The
function of LDAP is to enable access to an existing directory.
The data model (data and namespace) of LDAP is similar to that
of the X.500 OSI directory service, but with lower resource
requirements. The associated LDAP API simplifies writing
Internet directory service applications. The LDAP API is
applicable to directory management and browser applications that
do not have directory service support as their primary function.
Conversely, LDAP is neither applicable to creating directories,
nor specifying how a directory service operates. The LDAP API
documentation in the Platform Software Development Kit (SDK) is
intended for experienced C and C++ programmers and Internet
directory developers. LDAP su