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A Directory Can Store Reference Data about Anything

You can use a directory to store any kind of reference data.

Directories use a schema to decide what data is stored about each kind of object. A schema defines the kinds of objects that can be stored in a directory, and the types of information that these objects can contain. You can design your own schema, or you can use an existing schema.

Example: A Manufacturer's Product Catalog

Company A manufactures glass bottles. Their product catalog is linked to a directory that contains data about every bottle they make. The directory lists the height, weight, color, volume, shape, and price of each bottle type. Company A designed a directory schema that includes fields for each of these categories of information.