RFC 2425 (rfc2425) - Page 1 of 33
A MIME Content-Type for Directory Information
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group T. Howes
Request for Comments: 2425 M. Smith
Category: Standards Track Netscape Communications Corp.
F. Dawson
Lotus Development Corporation
September 1998
A MIME Content-Type for Directory Information
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998). All Rights Reserved.
1. Abstract
This document defines a MIME Content-Type for holding directory
information. The definition is independent of any particular
directory service or protocol. The text/directory Content-Type is
defined for holding a variety of directory information, for example,
name, or email address, or logo. The text/directory Content-Type can
also be used as the root body part in a multipart/related Content-
Type for handling more complicated situations, especially those in
which non-textual information that already has a natural MIME
representation, for example, a photograph or sound, is to be
represented.
The text/directory Content-Type defines a general framework and
format for holding directory information in a simple "type:value"
form. We refer to "type" in this context meaning a property or
attribute with which the value is associated. Mechanisms are defined
to specify alternate languages, encodings and other meta-information.
This document also defines the procedure by which particular formats,
called profiles, for carrying application-specific information within
a text/directory Content-Type can be defined and registered, and the
conventions such formats must follow. It is expected that other
documents will be produced that define such formats for various
applications (e.g., white pages).
Howes, et. al. Standards Track