Global Address List Directory Services

This week, I thought that I would try something new.  I am going to focus on a single topic and produce a series on a single topic.  This week’s topic will be on Enterprise Email services’ Global Address List function or GAL for short.  Today is the second day of this series.  You can read the earlier days here

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Today, we tackle the tough question of why The Global Address List (GAL) is important to both Enterprise users and individual users. Before we do that though, I wanted to clear up the fact that I am writing about master directory services including, but not exclusive, to Microsoft’s Exchange Server.  Some feedback recommended that I include the more generic name of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for the post.  Here is what Wikipedia says LDAP is:

The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, or LDAP  is an application protocol for querying and modifying directory services running over TCP/IP.

A directory is a set of objects with attributes organized in a logical and hierarchical manner. A simple example is the telephone directory, which consists of a list of names (of either persons or organizations) organized alphabetically, with each name having an address and phone number associated with it.

 

An LDAP directory tree often reflects various political, geographic, and/or organizational boundaries, depending on the model chosen. LDAP deployments today tend to use Domain name system (DNS) names for structuring the topmost levels of the hierarchy. Deeper inside the directory might appear entries representing people, organizational units, printers, documents, groups of people or anything else that represents a given tree entry (or multiple entries).

To be fair, all organizations require some form of directory services.  In practice, I find that most large Enterprises are using Microsoft Exchange for their directory services, including LDAP, while any that have a need for LINUX or Apple OS support are using LDAP straight. 

More great reading LDAP can be found here.

So, we start with a review of all the functions that the GAL, or directory server can perform in an organization.

• Phone Book.  The most obvious function is to allow people to find other people by name.  The result is usually a complete profile including all the ways to contact them, their location, and department.  For most Enterprise users, they never even see e-mail addresses as the GAL serves as a look up tool to replace their names with addresses behind the scenes.
• Collaboration Center.  Your GAL is usually closely tied to the services that your network provides.  From a person’s entry, you should be able to contact them via e-mail, instant messaging, VoIP, chat, etc.
• Resource Management.  The GAL should include not only people, but resources in your organization such as conference rooms, support teams, printers, etc.  They should be contactable, assignable, and useable via the same interface.  Integrating these listings with your calendar server is normally how the time based management is accomplished.
• Gate Keeping. Though smart GAL management, departments and people can establish intermediaries and gate keepers for their time and resources by altering the contact methods to direct to other personnel.
• Organization Management.  Especially in today’s push towards ever flatter organizations, the directory server can function as the keeper of your organization chart.  By adding labels to people’s entries you can both explain their assignment, role, and function and permit the GAL to display by geography, division, function,etc.
• Partner Management. The GAL can be augmented with address listings from partners and allies who are not resident on your network.  This strategic tool for alignment has a huge effect on productivity for Enterprises.  Basically, if you are looking for someone and they show in your corporate GAL, they are “one of the good guys”.
• Authentication.  The GAL serves as the official registry of authorities, privileges, and  identity services for most Enterprises.  This means that he who controls the GAL controls access to others, services, and information.
• Encryption Key Control.  Finally, a GAL can manage encryption keys and functions as easily as people or printers.  This means that your corporate IT group can implement data in transit security features invisibly to users.  It also means that authority choices can be backed up by stronger means.

As you can see, the Global Address List is a very powerful feature of most Enterprise computer networks.  It is critical to making the whole thing run smoothly, execute security policies, and enforcing standards.  For individuals, it is a productivity tool and resource manager that must be understood, taken advantage of, and monitored.  Please come back tomorrow when we will begin to discuss the problems with current generations of Global Address List instantiations and set-up for recommendations for future features.

That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for November 3, 2009  by Scott Coughlin.

Image Credit: Shaw’s Hampton Roads Real Estate Blog