Server User Manual

Glossary

330

authentication (1) Process of proving the identity of the client user to the Directory

Server. Users must provide a bind DN and either the corresponding

password or certificate in order to be granted access to the directory.

Directory Server allows the user to perform functions or access files

and directories based on the permissions granted to that user by the

directory administrator.

(2) Allows a client to make sure they are connected to a secure

server, preventing another computer from impersonating the server or

attempting to appear secure when it is not.

authentication certificate Digital file that is not transferable and not forgeable and is issued by a

third party. Authentication certificates are sent from server to client or

client to server in order to verify and authenticate the other party.

base distinguished name See base DN.

base DN Base distinguished name. A search operation is performed on the

base DN, the DN of the entry and all entries below it in the directory

tree.

bind distinguished name See bind DN.

bind DN Distinguished name used to authenticate to Directory Server when

performing an operation.

bind rule In the context of access control, the bind rule specifies the credentials

and conditions that a particular user or client must satisfy in order to

get access to directory information.

branch entry An entry that represents the top of a subtree in the directory.

browser Software, such as Mozilla Firefox, used to request and view World

Wide Web material stored as HTML files. The browser uses the HTTP

protocol to communicate with the host server.

browsing index Speeds up the display of entries in the Directory Server Console.

Browsing indexes can be created on any branch point in the directory

tree to improve display performance.