RFC 1309 (rfc1309) - Page 1 of 16
Technical Overview of Directory Services Using the X
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group C. Weider
Request for Comments: 1309 ANS
FYI: 14 J. Reynolds
ISI
S. Heker
JvNC
March 1992
Technical Overview of Directory Services
Using the X.500 Protocol
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is
unlimited.
Abstract
This document is an overview of the X.500 standard for people not
familiar with the technology. It compares and contrasts Directory
Services based on X.500 with several of the other Directory services
currently in use in the Internet. This paper also describes the
status of the standard and provides references for further
information on X.500 implementations and technical information.
A primary purpose of this paper is to illustrate the vast
functionality of the X.500 protocol and to show how it can be used to
provide a global directory for human use, and can support other
applications which would benefit from directory services, such as
main programs.
This FYI RFC is a product of the Directory Information Services
(pilot) Infrastructure Working Group (DISI). A combined effort of
the User Services and the OSI Integration Areas of the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF).
1. INTRODUCTION
As the pace of industry, science, and technological development
quickened over the past century, it became increasingly probable that
someone in a geographically distant location would be trying to solve
the same problems you were trying to solve, or that someone in a
geographically distant location would have some vital information
which impinged on your research or business. The stupendous growth
in the telecommunications industry, from telegraphs to telephones to
computer networks, has alleviated the problem of being able to
DISI Working Group