More painful than the cost was the reality that in any large organization a substantial percentage of the information would always be out of date. Internally, the main implication of Internet access is that it introduces yet more forms of directory information Internet e-mail addresses and Web URLs that need to be maintained and updated. However, in today s networked world the directory focus is moving outwards. Apart from making effective use of Internet technologies to bring the customer closer, there is a simple need to reduce costs. While the impact of a well-managed directory infrastructure may vary from one enterprise to another, there is no doubt that return on investment for this technology is easy to establish.
Directories are inseparable from the issue of security.
Sensitive location details must be kept secret, so the directory itself must come with security mechanisms. Digital signatures are particularly important when we move to doing any form of commerce over open networks. With these values in place, the transaction can go ahead with the normal confidence associated with paper documents, and far more swiftly and efficiently, enabling massive savings in areas such as Just In Time manufacturing and reduced inventory. So far, so good. The problem for organizations is that historically, no one directory has been capable of delivering all the functionality described above.