Introduction

Mac OS is very flexible when it comes to directory and accounting information. Mac OS can be configured to get accounting and password information in the following ways:

1. Local accounts configured through the "User and Groups" system preference
2. Local accounts configured through BSD style passwd and shadow files (10.6 and before)
3. NIS
4. Active Directory
5. Open Directory (Apple specific OpenLDAP)
6. LDAP
7. Kerberos (although this service does not provide account information, it will provide an authentication mechanism for already existing accounts.