DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LDAP AND ACTIVE DIRECTORY
The main difference between an LDAP server and an Active Directory is that one of them, i.e Active directory has a much more complex network to operate compared to, though both are used to secure and safeguard the network.
LDAP does not come with any complexities and functionalities like an active directory.
Let’s have a detailed look at both LDAP and active directory.
LDAP
LDAP is an abbreviation for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. An LDAP server is a lightweight cross-platform software protocol that is used for directory service authentication.
LDAP is one of those security network systems that allow anyone to communicate with the directory service providers. It also allows locating data related to the organization, users, devices, and other resources such as files in a network.
Directory services are a storehouse of user account details, including username, password, and computer account; hence, LDAP acts as a common central place for authentication in such a system.
If you desire to know and learn more about active directories and how to prevent data breaches, you should know about LDAP.
The main idea behind using LDAP is to avoid exposing the password by using simple authentication within an encrypted channel.
Few things considered while using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol are:
1. Directory Structures.
2. Adding, updating, and reading data.
3. Authentication.
4. Searching.
What is Active Directory (AD)?
An Active Directory can be defined as a directory service developed by Microsoft to manage infrastructure and assets such as domains, user accounts, policies, and other distributed resources in an organization.
Some functions offered by an active directory are:
- Authentication
- Group and user management
- Policy administration
- Device management
- Implementing security policy
An LDAP serves as a communication source of an active directory.
Assets provided by an active Directory are categorized as:
1. Domains
Domains are commonly named after an institution or a domain. For example, all the users and devices shared in an Active Directory database are part of a domain.
2. Trees
Trees are multiple networks that travel across the domain. Also, they store the access information of different data and other stuff.
3. Forest
X number of domains in an organization is called a forest.
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