1. A machine-implemented method, comprising: receiving a directory search and processing at a first thread to retrieve matching directory entries from a directory and populating the matching entries into a search results data structure as the matching directory entries are found by the first thread; concurrently processing two or more additional threads that access the search results data structure while the first thread continues to populate the search results data structure, wherein the two or more additional threads modify the search results data structure to remove selective ones of the matching directory entries in response to scope and access rights and to modify other ones of the matching directory entries to include metadata information defined by the directory search; and returning the search results data structure to a requester once the first thread and the two or more additional threads complete processing of the directory search.