Windows API Programmer Guide

This guide, object reference help, and sample scripts are key components of the Software Development Kit (SDK). This guide describes the basic object model that software components use to manage the Windows and UNIX-specific properties for users, groups, computers, zones, and Network Information Services (NIS) maps.

This guide and the object reference help provide complete reference information for the application programming interfaces (APIs) that you can use to automate the provisioning of zones, users, and groups into Microsoft Active Directory with custom scripts or applications. These programming interfaces are installed automatically on any computer where you install the Access Manager console.

Intended Audience

This document provides reference information and examples for programmers who plan to use the SDK to develop programs for Windows and UNIX environments. It includes information for managing both Windows and UNIX computers and for managing the Active Directory data associated with UNIX users, groups, computers, and network maps. Much of the information in this guide is primarily intended for developers writing programs to provision UNIX users and groups into an Active Directory environment.

Before using the SDK to develop programs that run on Windows, you should have experience programming using Microsoft .NET or COM-enabled languages. To develop programs to run on UNIX computers, you must also understand LDAP commands and scripting. You should also understand the structure of Active Directory, including the Active Directory schema your organization is using, and how to use Active Directory MMC snap-ins.

In addition to programming skills, you should be familiar with Server Suite architecture, terms, and concepts, and understand how to perform administrative tasks using software and the UNIX platforms you support. This guide assumes you are familiar with the information in the Linux/Unix Administrator Guide.

Using this Guide

This guide discusses the SDK COM objects and provides detailed information about how Server Suite-specific information is stored in Active Directory. This information is intended to help you develop programs for creating and populating zones and provisioning users, groups, and computers on Windows or UNIX computers. Depending on your environment or interests, you may want to read portions of this guide selectively.

Compatibility and Limitations

The information in this guide is intended for use with the current version of software. Although intended to be accurate and up‑to-date, interfaces are subject to change without notice and may become incompatible or obsolete when a newer version of the software is released. In general, application programming interfaces are also intended to be backward-compatible, but are not guaranteed to work with older versions of the software. Because the APIs are subject to change, enhancement, or replacement, the information in this guide can also become incomplete, obsolete, or unsupported in future versions. If you are unsure whether this guide is appropriate for the version of the software you have installed, you can consult the Delinea website or Support to find out if another version of this guide is available.

This guide includes the following sections: