7 Network Working Group K. Zeilenga, Ed.
8 Request for Comments: 4510 OpenLDAP Foundation
9 Obsoletes: 2251, 2252, 2253, 2254, 2255, June 2006
10 2256, 2829, 2830, 3377, 3771
11 Category: Standards Track
14 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP):
15 Technical Specification Road Map
19 This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
20 Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
21 improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
22 Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
23 and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
27 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).
31 The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is an Internet
32 protocol for accessing distributed directory services that act in
33 accordance with X.500 data and service models. This document
34 provides a road map of the LDAP Technical Specification.
36 1. The LDAP Technical Specification
38 The technical specification detailing version 3 of the Lightweight
39 Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), an Internet Protocol, consists of
40 this document and the following documents:
42 LDAP: The Protocol [RFC4511]
43 LDAP: Directory Information Models [RFC4512]
44 LDAP: Authentication Methods and Security Mechanisms [RFC4513]
45 LDAP: String Representation of Distinguished Names [RFC4514]
46 LDAP: String Representation of Search Filters [RFC4515]
47 LDAP: Uniform Resource Locator [RFC4516]
48 LDAP: Syntaxes and Matching Rules [RFC4517]
49 LDAP: Internationalized String Preparation [RFC4518]
50 LDAP: Schema for User Applications [RFC4519]
58 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 1]
60 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
63 The terms "LDAP" and "LDAPv3" are commonly used to refer informally
64 to the protocol specified by this technical specification. The LDAP
65 suite, as defined here, should be formally identified in other
66 documents by a normative reference to this document.
68 LDAP is an extensible protocol. Extensions to LDAP may be specified
69 in other documents. Nomenclature denoting such combinations of
70 LDAP-plus-extensions is not defined by this document but may be
71 defined in some future document(s). Extensions are expected to be
72 truly optional. Considerations for the LDAP extensions described in
73 BCP 118, RFC 4521 [RFC4521] fully apply to this revision of the LDAP
74 Technical Specification.
76 IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) considerations for LDAP
77 described in BCP 64, RFC 4520 [RFC4520] apply fully to this revision
78 of the LDAP technical specification.
82 The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
83 "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
84 document are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14 [RFC2119].
86 2. Relationship to X.500
88 This technical specification defines LDAP in terms of [X.500] as an
89 X.500 access mechanism. An LDAP server MUST act in accordance with
90 the X.500 (1993) series of International Telecommunication Union -
91 Telecommunication Standardization (ITU-T) Recommendations when
92 providing the service. However, it is not required that an LDAP
93 server make use of any X.500 protocols in providing this service.
94 For example, LDAP can be mapped onto any other directory system so
95 long as the X.500 data and service models [X.501][X.511], as used in
96 LDAP, are not violated in the LDAP interface.
98 This technical specification explicitly incorporates portions of
99 X.500(93). Later revisions of X.500 do not automatically apply to
100 this technical specification.
102 3. Relationship to Obsolete Specifications
104 This technical specification, as defined in Section 1, obsoletes
105 entirely the previously defined LDAP technical specification defined
106 in RFC 3377 (and consisting of RFCs 2251-2256, 2829, 2830, 3771, and
107 3377 itself). The technical specification was significantly
114 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 2]
116 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
119 This document replaces RFC 3377 as well as Section 3.3 of RFC 2251.
120 [RFC4512] replaces portions of RFC 2251, RFC 2252, and RFC 2256.
121 [RFC4511] replaces the majority RFC 2251, portions of RFC 2252, and
122 all of RFC 3771. [RFC4513] replaces RFC 2829, RFC 2830, and portions
123 of RFC 2251. [RFC4517] replaces the majority of RFC 2252 and
124 portions of RFC 2256. [RFC4519] replaces the majority of RFC 2256.
125 [RFC4514] replaces RFC 2253. [RFC4515] replaces RFC 2254. [RFC4516]
128 [RFC4518] is new to this revision of the LDAP technical
131 Each document of this specification contains appendices summarizing
132 changes to all sections of the specifications they replace. Appendix
133 A.1 of this document details changes made to RFC 3377. Appendix A.2
134 of this document details changes made to Section 3.3 of RFC 2251.
136 Additionally, portions of this technical specification update and/or
137 replace a number of other documents not listed above. These
138 relationships are discussed in the documents detailing these portions
139 of this technical specification.
141 4. Security Considerations
143 LDAP security considerations are discussed in each document
144 comprising the technical specification.
148 This document is based largely on RFC 3377 by J. Hodges and R.
149 Morgan, a product of the LDAPBIS and LDAPEXT Working Groups. The
150 document also borrows from RFC 2251 by M. Wahl, T. Howes, and S.
151 Kille, a product of the ASID Working Group.
153 This document is a product of the IETF LDAPBIS Working Group.
170 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 3]
172 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
175 6. Normative References
177 [RFC2119] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
178 Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
180 [RFC4511] Sermersheim, J., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
181 Protocol (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, June 2006.
183 [RFC4512] Zeilenga, K., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
184 (LDAP): Directory Information Models", RFC 4512, June
187 [RFC4513] Harrison, R., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
188 Protocol (LDAP): Authentication Methods and Security
189 Mechanisms", RFC 4513, June 2006.
191 [RFC4514] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
192 Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of Distinguished
193 Names", RFC 4514, June 2006.
195 [RFC4515] Smith, M., Ed. and T. Howes, "Lightweight Directory
196 Access Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of Search
197 Filters", RFC 4515, June 2006.
199 [RFC4516] Smith, M., Ed. and T. Howes, "Lightweight Directory
200 Access Protocol (LDAP): Uniform Resource Locator", RFC
203 [RFC4517] Legg, S., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
204 (LDAP): Syntaxes and Matching Rules", RFC 4517, June
207 [RFC4518] Zeilenga, K., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
208 (LDAP): Internationalized String Preparation", RFC
211 [RFC4519] Sciberras, A., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
212 Protocol (LDAP): Schema for User Applications", RFC
215 [RFC4520] Zeilenga, K., "Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
216 (IANA) Considerations for the Lightweight Directory
217 Access Protocol (LDAP)", BCP 64, RFC 4520, June 2006.
219 [RFC4521] Zeilenga, K., "Considerations for LDAP Extensions", BCP
220 118, RFC 4521, June 2006.
226 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 4]
228 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
231 [X.500] International Telecommunication Union -
232 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
233 Directory -- Overview of concepts, models and
234 services", X.500(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-1:1994).
236 [X.501] International Telecommunication Union -
237 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
238 Directory -- Models", X.501(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-
241 [X.511] International Telecommunication Union -
242 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
243 Directory: Abstract Service Definition", X.511(1993)
244 (also ISO/IEC 9594-3:1993).
282 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 5]
284 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
287 Appendix A. Changes to Previous Documents
289 This appendix outlines changes this document makes relative to the
290 documents it replaces (in whole or in part).
292 A.1. Changes to RFC 3377
294 This document is nearly a complete rewrite of RFC 3377 as much of the
295 material of RFC 3377 is no longer applicable. The changes include
296 redefining the terms "LDAP" and "LDAPv3" to refer to this revision of
297 the technical specification.
299 A.2. Changes to Section 3.3 of RFC 2251
301 The section was modified slightly (the word "document" was replaced
302 with "technical specification") to clarify that it applies to the
303 entire LDAP technical specification.
310 EMail: Kurt@OpenLDAP.org
338 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 6]
340 RFC 4510 LDAP: TS Road Map June 2006
343 Full Copyright Statement
345 Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).
347 This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions
348 contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors
349 retain all their rights.
351 This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
352 "AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS
353 OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET
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355 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE
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394 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 7]