The PingDirectoryProxy server defines locations, both for the LDAP external servers and the directory proxy instances themselves. A location defines a collection of servers that share access and latency characteristics. For example, your deployment might include two data centers, one in the east and one in the west. These data centers would be configured as two locations in the Directory Proxy Server. Each location is associated with a name and an ordered list of failover locations, which could be used if none of the servers in the preferred location are available. You can define these locations using the administrative console or the command line.

The PingDirectoryProxy server itself is also associated with a location. This location is specified in the global configuration properties of the server. If the load balancing algorithm’s use-location property is set to true, then the load balancing component of the PingDirectoryProxy server refers to the server’s location to determine the external servers it prefers to communicate with.