--- title: Next steps description: Once you have worked through the examples in this guide, try the following suggestions: component: pingds version: 7.2 page_id: pingds:getting-started:further canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/getting-started/further.html llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/llms.txt docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md revdate: 2023-10-25T08:09:47Z superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/getting-started/further.html section_ids: further-replication: Learn about replication further-ds-docs: Browse DS documentation further-tools: Try third-party tools further-am: Use DS with AM further-idm: Use DS with IDM further-uninstall: Remove DS software --- # Next steps Once you have worked through the examples in this guide, try the following suggestions: ## Learn about replication Data replication is sometimes called the "killer feature" of LDAP directories. Its strengths are in enabling very high availability for directory services even during network outages, and automatically resolving conflicts that can occur when the network is down, for example. LDAP directories have been improving and hardening replication features for decades. Its weaknesses are that replication protocols have not been standardized for interoperability, and that unwary developers can misunderstand its property of eventual consistency if they are too used to the strong, immediate consistency of monolithic, transactional databases. Replication necessarily involves multiple servers and additional configuration. You can learn more about it by reading [Replication](../config-guide/replication.html), and trying the examples in that page. ## Browse DS documentation | Category | Topics Covered | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | *[Release notes](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/release-notes/preface.html)* | DS features, fixes, and known issues | | *[Deployment](../deployment-guide/preface.html)* | Deploying Directory Services in on-premises and cloud environments | | *[Installation](../install-guide/preface.html)* | Installing DS software | | *[Upgrade](../upgrade-guide/preface.html)* | Upgrading DS software | | *[Configuration](../config-guide/preface.html)* | Configuring DS servers after installation | | *[Security](../security-guide/preface.html)* | Ensuring a Directory Services deployment is secure | | *[Maintenance](../maintenance-guide/preface.html)* | Day-to-day operations for maintaining DS servers | | *[Logging](../logging-guide/preface.html)* | Configuring DS server logs | | *[Monitoring](../monitoring-guide/preface.html)* | What to monitor when running DS servers, and where to look for metrics and other information | | *[Use LDAP](../ldap-guide/preface.html)* | How to use LDAP features and command-line tools | | *[Use REST/HTTP](../rest-guide/preface.html)* | How to configure and use DS REST APIs for HTTP access | | *[Configuration Reference](../configref/preface.html)* | The `dsconfig` subcommands and server configuration properties | | *[DS Javadoc](../_attachments/javadoc/index.html)* | Evolving LDAP SDK and server APIs, including ForgeRock common APIs | | *[LDAP reference](../ldap-reference/preface.html)* | LDAP-specific features of DS software | | *[LDAP Schema Reference](../schemaref/preface.html)* | All default LDAP schema, including monitoring attributes and object classes | | *[Log Reference](../log-reference/index.html)* | DS server error log messages by category and ID | | *[Tools Reference](../tools-reference/preface.html)* | Tools bundled with DS software | ## Try third-party tools LDAP is a standard protocol, and so you can use LDAP-compliant third-party tools to manage directory data: * [Apache Directory Studio](https://directory.apache.org/studio/) * [JXplorer and JXWorkBench](https://jxplorer.org/) * [phpLDAPadmin](https://github.com/leenooks/phpLDAPadmin/wiki) * [Softerra LDAP Administrator](https://www.ldapadministrator.com/) * [web2ldap](https://pypi.org/project/web2ldap/) Many software solutions include support for LDAP authentication and LDAP-based address books. *ForgeRock does not endorse or support third-party tools.* ## Use DS with AM * [Back End Directory Servers](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/7.2/deployment-planning-guide/deploy-topologies-onprem.html#backend-ds) in the AM *Deployment Planning Guide* * [Preparing External Stores](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/7.2/install-guide/prepare-ext-stores.html) in the AM *Installation Guide* * [Configuring External CTS Token Stores](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/7.2/cts-guide/cts-openam-config.html) in the AM *Core Token Service Guide* * You can install DS directory servers for use as external AM stores. For details, see [Setup profiles](../install-guide/setup-profiles.html). ## Use DS with IDM * [External DS Repository](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/install-guide/external-ds.html) and [Select a Repository](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/install-guide/chap-repository.html) in the IDM *Installation Guide* Also see [Install DS as an IDM repository](../install-guide/profile-idm-repo.html). * [One Way Synchronization From LDAP to IDM](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/samples-guide/sync-with-ldap.html), [Two-Way Synchronization Between LDAP and IDM](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/samples-guide/sync-with-ldap-bidirectional.html), and other LDAP-related pages in the IDM *Samples Guide* * [DS Repository Configuration](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/objects-guide/repo-config.html#repo-ds-json) and [Mappings With a DS Repository](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/objects-guide/explicit-generic-mapping-ds.html) in the IDM *Object Modeling Guide* * [Synchronize Passwords With DS](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/7.2/pwd-plugin-guide/chap-sync-dj.html) in the IDM *Password Synchronization Plugin Guide* ## Remove DS software For details, see [Uninstallation](../install-guide/uninstall.html).