Den and the art of network directories

Microsoft and Cisco have received the backing of 150 vendors for their development of a standard to establish network devices, plus users and printers, via directories.

The backers include Microsoft's archrival in directories, Novell, plus Hewlett Packard, Intel and IBM.

Microsoft and Cisco, which are also working to implement Microsoft's Active Directory on Unix platforms, are rallying the industry to develop a standard for their Directory Enabled Network (Den).

The standard would enable management of network devices such as routers within directories in a uniform way. User profiles, held in directories, would be extended to detail printer setup, plus network information such as access to video conferencing facilities and the need for extra network bandwidth.

Kurt Dahm, senior product manager at Cisco's directory services group, said: 'Directories share information about users and printers. We need to teach them to store information about routers, router configurations and network services.'

Microsoft and Cisco held a meeting with the 150 networking vendors, which asked for the Den specification and promised to participate in further meetings, said Dahm.