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Red Hat opens directory server code

Acquired from America Online almost a year ago, directory software includes modules for handling password encryption.

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
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A few days before its Dec. 8 deadline, Red Hat opened the full source code of the Netscape directory server software it acquired from America Online nearly a year ago. The directory software is used to house information such as username-password pairs or computer user privileges. The newly released version 1.0 includes several modules for handling password encryption tasks, according to an announcement last week. However, the software doesn't yet support x86 processors with 64-bit memory addressing abilities.

Red Hat's directory server stems from the same lineage as a popular product of Sun Microsystems, which last week pledged to give that product away for free next quarter and eventually to make it open-source software as well. Red Hat's product also has competition from Novell and Microsoft.