Directory services are the key applications which provide a means to locate and organize users and resources on a network. Directories are repositories (like a phone book) containing information on users such as email addresses, phone numbers, security passwords and access rights to things like printers and servers. Using Sun's Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI), Java developers and network professionals can build powerful and portable applications throughout the enterprise. Now, JNDI's architect and one of its lead developers team up to present the first comprehensive JNDI tutorial and reference: everything developers need to build world-class directory-enabled applications with Java. Starting from the basic foundations, the book introduces key JNDI concepts and techniques needed to write, compile, and run JNDI applications. The tutorial then moves to more sophisticated topics, walking developers through building their own service providers, accounting for security, and creating schema and attributes. There are detailed comparisons between JNDI and LDAP, as well as practical techniques for integrating with DNS, NDS, NIS+, and other directory services. The book also contains a comprehensive JNDI reference covering every element of the API.