LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, which is a protocol used for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
LDAP synchronization refers to the process of synchronizing directory information between two or more LDAP servers or between an LDAP server and an external system. This process ensures that the directory information is consistent across all systems.
On the other hand, LDAP authentication refers to the process of validating the identity of a user by checking their credentials against the user entries stored in an LDAP server. In this process, the user provides their username and password to the LDAP server, which then checks if the provided credentials match those stored in the directory.
In summary, LDAP synchronization is concerned with maintaining consistency of directory information across systems, while LDAP authentication is focused on verifying the identity of users accessing a system by checking their credentials against information stored in an LDAP server.