Patent ID: 7127471

Claim:
A system for managing a directory of downlevel published objects and removing nonfunctional downlevel published objects, the directory maintained on a computer network, and a directory service for providing access to resources represented by corresponding objects in the directory of published downlevel objects, the system comprising: a pruning module including a module for testing if a specified object, from the directory of published downlevel objects, is accessible, a module for determining if the specified object is deleteable, wherein a list of orphaned objects is tested in accordance with a specifiable policy that monitors the specified object to determine if the specified object is orphaned, and a module for testing if software hosting the specified object is republishable, wherein the specifiable policy comprises: initializing a print spooler directory services component; identifying a machine acting as a domain controller for the specified object; determining a site on which the domain controller is running; searching a domain associated with the domain controller for the specified object; checking a print server site for the specified object; verifying that the print server exists, in an instance where the print server exists, comparing a printer identification with an identification of the specified object; referencing a printer object pruning policy in an instance where a match between the printer identification and the specified object identification is not established; the domain controller hosting the pruning module and the directory of published downlevel objects the domain controller configured to receive user input specifying thread priority for the pruning module; and a thread for executing the pruning module.