The order in which HCL Notes® and HCL Domino® search directories depends on the nature of the search and the configuration of the directory.

There are a variety of ways to configure directories in a multiple directory environment. See the Related topics for details.

Directory search order for Internet client authentication
If there more than one directory with a trusted naming rule that matches the user name, the server searches the directory with the most specific matching rule first. If directories have identical trusted naming rules that match the Internet user name, search orders assigned to the directories determine the order in which the server searches them.

Directory search order for group names in database ACLs
When a Internet or HCL Notes user attempts to access a database on a server and the database ACL includes a group name, the server searches directories in this order to locate the group to determine if the user is a member of it:

Directory search order for LDAP searches
If an LDAP user does not specify a search base, the LDAP service does not return a referral. If an LDAP user specifies a search base, the server picks an LDAP directory enabled for LDAP users with a naming rule that matches the specified search base. If there is no such directory, the server doesn't return a referral. If there is more than one such directory, the server picks the one with the most specific matching rule before picking one with a less-specific rule. If directories have identical naming rules that match the search base specified by the user, search orders assigned to these directories determine the order in which the LDAP service picks them for referrals.

Directory search order for a name in a Notes address field
When an HCL Notes user enters a user or group name in a Notes mail address field, the Notes client and mail server search directories in the following order to retrieve the address for the name.

Related concepts
Planning directory services in a multiple-directory environment
Directory services terms

Related tasks
Directory search order for Internet client authentication
Directory search order for group names in database ACLs
Directory search order for LDAP searches
Directory search order for a name in a Notes address field