Open Directory was added to OS X Server early on in its release form. This is after OS X transitioned away from the NetInfo directory used by its predecessor, NeXTSTEP. However, Open Directory is similar, in a few ways, to the old-style Windows NT 4.0 directory system. At the same time that Apple adopted this older system, Microsoft, with Windows 2000, moved away from it and began using their much more robust Active Directory system. For some time, I have been urging Apple to move away from the antiquated Open Directory, and use Active Directory, since it is much more flexible and powerful, makes use of multimaster replication, and is used by many, many Windows network administrators. Moving to Active Directory would make is so much easier to manage OS X Servers in enterprise settings, not requiring two separate skillsets, one for Open Directory and one for Active Directory. This would also allow Apple to have an end-to-end solution, and build out their Profile Manager and configuration profile servi