Before Adaptive Server and a client application can communicate with each other, each must know where the other resides on the network. Prior to Adaptive Server 11.5, the only location for storing network service information (server name, service type, and network protocol, device, and address) was the SQL Server interfaces file.
Adaptive Server 11.5 provides an alternative to using the traditional interfaces file by supporting the ability to connect to network service information through third-party directory service providers.
The advantage of using a directory service is that when your network is changed (for example, when a new server is added or a server address is changed), you do not need to update multiple interfaces files. You need to update only the directory service being used by the servers and clients.
Table 5-9 shows the directory service provider and the platform it supports in Adaptive Server 11.5.
Directory Service Provider |
Platform |
|---|---|
Windows Registry |
Microsoft Windows NT |
If Adaptive Server is not configured to use a directory service provider, it defaults to the Sybase interfaces file for obtaining network service information.
For information on how to configure Adaptive Server for directory services, see the Adaptive Server configuration guide for your platform.
