| ## Overview - CDS Concepts The Cell Directory Service (CDS) is a high-performance distributed service that provides a consistent, location-independent method for naming and using resources inside a cell. CDS offers the ability to replicate CDS names; that is, to store copies of them on more than one node. CDS automatically keeps multiple copies consistent. Names also can be distributed among several nodes so that no one node has to store all of them. This feature is particularly valuable in large cells. The ability to replicate and distribute information has many benefits, including the following: · Availability - Because you can store the same name in more than one place, data is likely to be available even in the event of a system or network failure. · Efficiency - CDS finds names efficiently because you can store them close to where they are used most often. Furthermore, once CDS finds a name, it can connect to the same name immediately on all subsequent lookups. · Load Sharing - Because names are in more than one place, several systems can share the load of looking them up. · Expandability - New names are easily accommodated as the network grows and more applications use CDS. ##