NetWare authentication

As with all the other network operating systems discussed in this tutorial, NetWare authentication is performed by using a username and password combination. As well as supplying this information, users also need to tell client software which NDS tree to authenticate to and the location of the user object in the NDS tree.

After a user has been validated, an assortment of restrictions is verified, including allowed logon times and station restrictions, which prevent users from logging on from certain workstations. Information about the user account and what the user can and can't access is stored in the NDS. For this reason, a copy of the NDS must be available in order for the user to be able to log on. Also, each time a user attempts to access a resource, her authentication status is checked in the NDS to make sure she is who she says she is and that she is allowed to access the resource.