Directory Components

The directory has two main components ¾ a database and a service.

Directory database   The directory database stores all the directory objects.

Directory service   The directory service is a Microsoft Windows NT Server process that manages information in the directory database and handles directory requests from users, services, and applications. The directory service:

• Provides the Microsoft Exchange Server Address Book.
• Enforces the rules governing the structure and contents of the directory.
• Sends directory replication notifications to directories on other servers and processes directory replication notifications from other servers.