Directory Servers
As described earlier, directory servers are a specific type of naming service that provide access to a hierarchical namespace where resources may be stored. These servers have their roots in the hierarchical databases of old, but are now widely used as a low-cost, fast server for query-intensive data.
While we tend to describe directory servers in terms of storing 'resources', what they are really storing under the covers is data. This is information that could be stored elsewhere, perhaps in a relational database. Given the robust capabilities of modern relational databases and the various tools and APIs for accessing this data, this begs the question, Why store data anywhere else?
The reason for using directory servers is ...
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