Abstract: A method of searching the directory of a database, held in the store of an information processing system, to identify an entry in the directory which most closely matches a search entry, each of said directory entries containing first, second and third fields, said search entry containing at least a first field, and each of said fields having the capability of including multiple parts: wherein the set of all directory entries which have the first part of the first field thereof the same as the first part of the first field of the search entry are retrieved from the directory; wherein all parts of the first field of each entry of said set are compared with a similar number of parts of the search entry and according to the degree of match of such comparison, a respective value is calculated for such degree of match; wherein similar comparisons are made between the second and third fields, if any, of each entry of the set and the search entry; and wherein the highest of such calculated values indicates the direc