RFC 2713 (rfc2713) - Page 1 of 21

Schema for Representing Java(tm) Objects in an LDAP Directory

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Network Working Group                                            V. Ryan
Request for Comments: 2713                                   S. Seligman
Category: Informational                                           R. Lee
                                                  Sun Microsystems, Inc.
                                                            October 1999


     Schema for Representing Java(tm) Objects in an LDAP Directory

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1999).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document defines the schema for representing Java(tm) objects in
   an LDAP directory [LDAPv3].  It defines schema elements to represent
   a Java serialized object [Serial], a Java marshalled object [RMI], a
   Java remote object [RMI], and a JNDI reference [JNDI].

1. Introduction

   This document assumes that the reader has a general knowledge of the
   Java programming language [Java].  For brevity we use the term "Java
   object" in place of "object in the Java programming language"
   throughout this text.

   Traditionally, LDAP directories have been used to store data. Users
   and programmers think of the directory as a hierarchy of directory
   entries, each containing a set of attributes.  You look up an entry
   from the directory and extract the attribute(s) of interest.  For
   example, you can look up a person's telephone number from the
   directory.  Alternatively, you can search the directory for entries
   with a particular set of attributes.  For example, you can search for
   all persons in the directory with the surname "Smith".

   For applications written in the Java programming language, a kind of
   data that is typically shared are Java objects themselves.  For such
   applications, it makes sense to be able to use the directory as a
   repository for Java objects.  The directory provides a centrally
   administered, and possibly replicated, service for use by Java
   applications distributed across the network.



Ryan, et al.                 Informational
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