Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)

• What is it?
  AD LDS is a lightweight, flexible directory service from Microsoft. It is essentially a standalone LDAP directory service that can run independently of the full Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).
• Purpose:
  AD LDS provides directory services to applications without the need to deploy domain controllers or involve full AD DS infrastructure. It is ideal for applications that require a directory for storing data but do not need full domain or forest functionality.
• LDAP Compatibility:
  AD LDS supports the LDAP protocol, which means it uses standard directory access methods and can interoperate with any application or service that supports LDAP.
• Flexible Directory:
  You can create multiple AD LDS instances on a single server, each with its own schema and data. This allows tailored directory solutions for specific applications.
• Use Cases:
  • Storing application-specific directory data.
  • Providing directory services for web applications or custom solutions.
  • Enabling identity management scenarios where full Active Directory is not suitable.