A distributed directory service allows Client-Library and Server-Library to use a network-based directory rather than the Sybase interfaces file as the source for server address information. Using a network directory service can simplify the administration of an environment that contains many client machines.
For example, on a Novell network, Novell Directory Services (NDS) can be accessed by client applications. When a new Sybase server is added to the network, only the NDS directory needs to be updated rather than several interface files.
A network-based directory use requires a Sybase directory driver that interacts with the network directory service. For Client-Library applications, the CS_DS_PROVIDER connection property specifies the directory source to be used by calls to ct_connect and ct_ds_lookup.
Client-Library routines ct_ds_lookup, ct_ds_objinfo, and ct_ds_dropobj allow directory browsing. Using these routines, an application can search for available servers in the directory or interfaces file.
