A method is described for determining automatically, via a network protocol, a system topology of a network system, wherein the network system comprises a plurality of network components, wherein each of the network components support a directory protocol, and wherein the system topology comprises a respective address of each of the plurality of network components. The system topology is mapped via the directory protocol. Finally, a role-based access credential is configured for a user, via the directory protocol, wherein the role-based access credential determines which of the plurality of network components are accessible to the user.