Setting up an extended directory catalog

There are four parts to setting up an extended directory catalog.

Part 1: Verify that each Domino® Directory has a defined domain

Each Domino Directory aggregated in a directory catalog should have a domain defined in its Directory Profile. The Dircat task uses the domain name to distinguish between groups with the same name in more than one Domino Directory.

Do the following for each Domino Directory you will aggregate into the directory catalog:

  1. Open a Domino Directory.
  2. Choose Actions > Edit Directory Profile.
  3. Make sure the field Domain defined by this Domino Directory contains a valid domain name. This field is usually filled in automatically.
  4. Click Save & Close.

Part 2: Create the extended directory catalog database

Note: If you will integrate an extended directory catalog into a primary Domino Directory, skip this step.
  1. Choose File > Application > New.
  2. For Server field, select the Dircat server you picked to aggregate the directory catalog.
  3. In the Title field, enter a title for the directory catalog, for example extended directory catalog.
  4. In the Filename field, enter a file name for the directory catalog, for example EDC.NSF. DO NOT use the file name NAMES.NSF.
  5. Click Show advanced templates.
  6. For Template server, select a server that stores the Domino Directory template.
  7. Select the Domino Directory template (PUBNAMES.NTF).
  8. Keep Inherit future design changes selected.
  9. Click OK.
Note: After you create the extended directory catalog, you must make sure you have both manager access and all roles access in the database ACL. Otherwise, you will not be able to create the directory catalog configuration document.

Step 3: Create the extended directory catalog configuration document and run the Dircat task

  1. Open the database you created in Part 2.
    Note: To integrate the extended directory catalog into a primary Domino Directory, open that primary Domino Directory instead.
  2. Choose Create > Extended Directory Catalog and complete the following fields in the document. Read the complete descriptions of the fields before you run the Dircat task to build the directory catalog.
    Table 1. Basics tab fields

    Field

    Description

    Directories to include

    Specifies which Domino Directories the Dircat task aggregates, and the order in which it processes the directories.

    Additional fields to include

    Specifies which fields from Domino Directories to aggregate. Aggregating all fields is recommended. To aggregate all fields, leave the Additional fields to include field blank by deleting all fields from it.

    Remove duplicate users

    Specifies whether to aggregate multiple user entries with the same name to remove duplicates.

    Group types

    Specifies which types of groups to aggregate.

    Include Mail-in Databases

    Specifies whether to aggregate Mail-In Database documents. Default is Yes.

    Include Servers

    Specifies whether to aggregate Server documents. Default is No.

    Restrict aggregation to server

    (Recommended) Specifies the one Dircat server that can aggregate this directory catalog.

    Send Aggregation reports to:

    (Optional) Specifies the names of people to receive Directory Catalog status reports.

    Table 2. Advanced tab fields

    Field

    Description

    Version

    Read-only field that can increment after the DIRCAT5.NTF template is upgraded. Used only for internal purposes.

    Selection formula

    (Optional) Specifies a selection formula to control which documents are aggregated. Click Check Syntax to verify that the syntax specified in a selection formula is valid.

    Replication history

    Shows the date and time when the Dircat task last replicated the aggregated directories

    Click Clear History to do a full rebuild of the directory catalog. Do not click Clear History unless you understand Dircat rebuilds. For information about the Dircat task, see the related links.

  3. Save and close to the document.
  4. Run the Dircat task to build the directory catalog.
Note: If you integrate the extended directory catalog into a primary Domino Directory, Parts 4 and 5 are unnecessary.

Part 4: Create at least one replica of the extended directory catalog

Create at least one replica of the directory catalog on another server for performance and failover benefits. Make sure replication occurs between the server(s) with the replica(s) and the Dircat server, so the replicas of the directory catalog are kept up-to-date.

Part 5: Set up servers to use the extended directory catalog

To set up a server to use an extended directory catalog, create a Directory Assistance document for the extended directory catalog in a directory assistance database the server uses.