Lightweight Directory Access Protocol

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a software protocol for enabling anyone to locate organizations, individuals, and other resources such as files and devices in a network, whether on the public Internet or on a corporate intranet. LDAP is a "lightweight" (smaller amount of code) version of Directory Access Protocol (DAP).

An LDAP directory can be distributed among many servers. Each server can have a replicated version of the total directory that is synchronized periodically. An LDAP server is called a Directory System Agent (DSA). An LDAP server that receives a request from a user takes responsibility for the request, passing it to other DSAs as necessary, but ensuring a single coordinated response for the user.

An LDAP directory is organized in a simple "tree" hierarchy consisting of the following levels:

• The root directory (the starting place or the source of the tree), which branches out to
• Countries, each of which branches out to
• Organizations, which branch out to
• Organizational units (divisions, departments, and so forth), which branches out to (includes an entry for)
• Individuals (which includes people, files, and shared resources such as printers)