
Concepts: About Service Discovery
Open Directory can provide more than administrative data from directories. Open Directory can also provide information about services that are available on the network. For example, Open Directory can provide information about file servers that are currently available.
Open Directory can discover network services that make their existence and whereabouts known. Services make themselves known by means of standard protocols. Open Directory supports the following service discovery protocols:
- Rendezvous, the Apple protocol that uses multicast DNS for discovering file, print, chat, music sharing, and other network services
- AppleTalk, the legacy protocol for discovering file, print, and other network services
- Service Location Protocol (SLP), an open standard for discovering file and print services
- Server Message Block (SMB), the protocol used by Microsoft Windows for file, print, and other services