A NetWare file used for security and accounting in the early NetWare 2.x and 3.x versions. The bindery pertained only to the server it resided in and contained the names and passwords of users authorized to log in to that server. It also held information about other services provided by the server to the client (print, modem, gateway, etc.).

Starting with NetWare 4, the bindery turned into NDS (Novell Directory Services), but NDS (later renamed eDirectory) is globally oriented, manages multiple servers and provides a naming service, which the bindery did not. Bindery emulation software enabled NetWare 2.x and 3.x clients to access services on NetWare 4.x servers. See eDirectory.