!! Overview
A Directory Server backend provides a repository for storing data and a set of logic for interacting with that data.  A backend will typically contain some kind of [database] and may maintain a set of [LDAP Indexes] that allows the backend to quickly locate entries for various operations.  All backends will have the following qualities:

*A backend ID, which uniquely identifies that backend among all other backends in the server.
*A set of one or more base [DNs] that indicate the data that the backend holds.
*A writability mode, which indicates whether the backend will accept write operations.

The logic provided by the backend includes:

*A method for determining whether a given entry exists, based on its DN
*A method for retrieving an entry, based on its DN
*A method of adding a new entry to the [database] (as part of processing an [Add Request]).
*A method for removing an existing entry from the [database] (as part of processing an [Delete Request]
*A method for replacing an entry in the [database] (as part of processing an [Modify Request] [Delete Modification-type]).
*A method for renaming an entry in the [database] (as part of processing an [ModifyDNRequest]).
*A method for processing an [SearchRequest].
*A method for exporting the contents of the [database] in [LDAP Data Interchange Format] form.
*A method for importing data in [LDAP Data Interchange Format] form into the [database].
*A method for performing a [backup|Definition -- Backup] of the [data].
*A method for performing a [restore|Definition -- Restore] of a previous backup.

!! More Information
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