Patent ID: 7376827

Claim:
An apparatus in a network element, wherein said network element is any one of a packet router and a data switch operable to manipulate packets at any of Open System Interconnection (OSI) Layer 2 and 3 in a network, the apparatus comprising: a directory enabling element operable under control of an operating system of the network element, wherein the directory enabling element is configured to query, access, and update directory information that is managed by a directory service of the network that includes the network element, wherein the directory service is any one of a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory and an X.500 directory; an application programming interface coupled to the directory enabling element and configured to receive directory services requests from application programs and provide the directory services requests to the directory enabling element, wherein the application programs are hosted in the network element; a locator service coupled to the directory enabling element and accessible using the application programming interface and configured to enable the application programs to locate servers that provide the directory services in the network; and a bind service in the directory enabling element and coupled to a security protocol and configured to bind an external application program to the security protocol.