General FAQ

Sun is bringing to market Sun Java System Directory Server Enterprise Edition 6.0 - a winning combination of the market-leading directory server with value-added services that enhance security, deliver high availability, simplify management, and promote efficiency. DSEE delivers virtual directory capabilities to help integrate identity data from multiple sources as well as provide seamless integration with Active Directory via on-demand password synchronization between Windows and Sun's directory server environments. It also provides a solid foundation for identity management that serves as a central repository for storing and managing identity profiles, access privileges, and application and network resource information.

Directory Server Enterprise Edition is based on Sun Java System Directory Server, a proven product (with more than 3 billion entry licenses sold and well over 4 billion shipped or downloaded) and the clear market-leader with the most mature LDAP directory solution available.,. Directory Server Enterprise Edition provides enterprises with a better solution for security and failover than any other directory services product. This combination of functionality creates a differentiated offering; much more than a directory server, it is a directory service with security, high availability, scalability, and manageability -- all requirements for today's robust enterprise IT infrastructures.

Don't let the word "Enterprise" in the product name fool you. The use of the word is not to imply scale, but is rather a reference to "a business organization." The Directory Server Enterprise Edition is horizontal in nature and applies to any industry where identities and users need to be managed securely and efficiently. Directory Server Enterprise Edition scales for enterprises from tens of thousands to the hundreds of millions found in service provider environments, including government, telco/wireless operators, financial, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, energy & utilities, and education to name a few.

Directory Server is the data repository for Sun Java System Access Manager, Java System Portal Server, and Java System Communications Server. Sun's Directory Server has been the de facto standard LDAP directory to which most software companies have tested and developed their LDAP-enabled products for years. This means that Sun's Directory Server is the most widely supported and also the best-supported directory on the market.

Yes, the Directory Server Enterprise Edition LDAP SDKs (Software Development Kits) for C and Java programming languages help streamline writing client applications for the directory. These APIs expose all of the functions for connecting to an LDAP directory and accessing or modifying its entries. They can be used to design and integrate directory functionality into applications at the programmatic level. More on the Directory Server Enterprise Edition SDK can be found at www.sun.com/developer. These are now supported items only for our Directory Server Enterprise Edition customers with a valid maintenance contract, which means customers can submit bugs and even request hotfixes, should a problem be encountered -- something that no other vendor provides. Also, we are providing our contribution back to Mozilla so others, including application vendors, can get access to those APIs through the Mozilla open source project.

Directory Server Enterprise Edition comes standard with the Directory Server Resource Kit, which provides tools for optimizing performance, creating and performing benchmarks, tuning the system for high performance and troubleshooting directory problems. In addition, Sun has developed one of the most powerful load-generation testing applications on the market called SLAMD, which is freely available, by request, at www.slamd.com. It includes all the tests an enterprise needs to thoroughly performance-test deployment of Sun's Directory Server.

Sun Java System Directory Server Enterprise Edition supports LDAP versions 2 and 3 plus popular extensions, including server-side sorting, persistent search, proxied authorization, virtual list view, and password modify.

YYes, Directory Server Enterprise Edition can help comply with Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, European Data Privacy regulations and several other government regulations via enhanced security. Directory Server Enterprise Edition serves as the backbone to an enterprise identity infrastructure by providing a central repository for storing and managing identity profiles, access privileges, and application and network resource information. It provides proxy services for firewall-like protection against malicious attempts to compromise directory servers. Directory Server Enterprise Edition provides robust access and audit logging, which can be used to determine who accessed what and when. It also includes scripts that process these logs to create reports. Directory Server Enterprise Edition further improves security through its ability to deny or allow access based on IP address, group membership, and other criteria. Also, it supports encryption mechanisms to protect data on the disk and while being transferred through communications channels. Directory Server Enterprise Edition supports fractional replication and data hiding based on access, both of which can be used to comply with EU privacy regulations.

We have several proof points, including:

• Positioned in the Leader Quadrant in Gartner's Directory Management Product Magic Quadrant for the last three consecutive years (2001-2003, which was the latest Magic Quadrant published on Directory)
• Rated number one in both number of entries and revenue in the Enterprise / Carrier Directory Space with 31% market share for the Enterprise and Carrier market segment, (Radicati, November, 2003, December 2004, December 2005 and December 2006)
• "For e-business deployments with rigorous performance requirements, Sun ONE Directory Server makes the best fit." (Burton Group, Research Report, 8/13/2003)
• Directory Server underpins the identity infrastructure for the world's largest global companies:
  • All of the top 10 financial institutions
  • 8 of the top 10 telco services
  • 7 of the top 10 wireless telcos
  • 7 of the top 10 auto manufacturers
  • 7 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies
  • 6 of the top 10 aerospace and defense enterprises
  • 3 of the top 5 airlines

According to Radicati Group (December 2003, December 2004, December 2005 and December 2006), the Sun Java System Directory Server is the market share leader (Enterprises / Carriers / Service Providers) for 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 -- 6 years in row.

Bits are available from either source:

• Download from http://www.sun.com/software/products/directory_srvr_ee/get.jsp (packaged and compressed archives)
• Java Enterprise System Media kit  (packaged version for DS and DPS on Java ES main DVD and compressed archived for all DSEE components from Supplemental JES DVD; please check price list for appropriate JES media part numbers)

A list of standards is provided as part of the DSEE 6.0 data sheet available at: www.sun.com/dsee.

Yes, media kits for DS 5.2 are available (please check price list for appropriate DS 5.2 media part number). Also, downloads for all components are available from the Sun Download Center at: http://www.sun.com/software/products/directory_srvr_ee/get.jsp