Finally started playing a bit more with OpenDS this weekend and I have to say I'm pretty proud to be part of this project. If you haven't checked it out you should and it is quite simple - I mean, I'm using it :-)

One of the things I wanted to do was to show you how easy it is to download and get running. A few months ago the team added a QuickSetup capability, which uses Java WebStart. If you've installed a Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which is required if you want to use OpenDS, then you already have Java Webstart. The cool thing is how fast you will have OpenDS downloaded and running on your machine. I'm not kidding. Not counting the time it will take you to read the screens, if you aren't familiar with it, it could take as little as a couple minutes (maybe less, I didn't get my stop watch out).

Check it out by clicking QuickSetup above and be brave and start the install right now.

Here is what I saw and did when I clicked it.

• After Java Webstart started processing the QuickSetup.jnlp I saw "Java(tm) Loading..." and then I saw the OpenDS splash page followed quickly by the Welcome screen.
• I clicked "Next".
• On the Server Settings page I changed the first part of the default path to "C:\" (but that's just me). I also changed the default port to 389. Then I entered the password for "cn=directory manager" (this is like the root user for openDS).
• Then I clicked "Next" again.
• On the Data Options page I selected "Import Automatically-Generated Example Data" and asked for 10,000 entries.
• Then I clicked "Next" again.
• On the Review page I just clicked "Finish"

When this completes you will have OpenDS running on your machine. Told you. Fast and easy.

I'll show you how to use Thunderbird's Address Book to see info in OpenDS in my next entry, but it is just as easy.