A computerized method for managing objects created in a directory service of a distributed computing environment, including a component for backing up and restoring a single or plurality of directory service objects, a component for delegating security privileges to permit access to directory service objects, a component for retrieving data in policy storage format and representing the data in human-readable form, a component having a graphical user interface including a display capable of searching and reporting policy storage data in human readable form, a component capable of replicating a single or plurality of directory service objects across the domain tree boundaries of the directory service, a component for analyzing the effect a particular setting will have on a particular target represented as a directory service object before the setting is added to the directory service.