7 Network Working Group K. Zeilenga
8 Request for Comments: 5020 Isode Limited
9 Category: Standards Track August 2007
12 The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) entryDN
17 This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
18 Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
19 improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
20 Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
21 and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
25 Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2007).
29 This document describes the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
30 (LDAP) / X.500 'entryDN' operational attribute. The attribute
31 provides a copy of the entry's distinguished name for use in
32 attribute value assertions.
58 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 1]
60 RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
63 1. Background and Intended Use
65 In X.500 Directory Services [X.501], such as those accessible using
66 the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) [RFC4510], an entry
67 is identified by its distinguished name (DN) [RFC4512]. However, as
68 an entry's DN is not an attribute of the entry, it is not possible to
69 perform attribute value assertions [RFC4511] against it.
71 This document describes the 'entryDN' operational attribute which
72 holds a copy of the entry's distinguished name. This attribute may
73 be used in search filters. For instance, searching the subtree
74 <dc=example,dc=com> with the filter:
76 (entryDN:componentFilterMatch:=or:{
77 item:{ component "3", rule rdnMatch, value "ou=A" },
78 item:{ component "3", rule rdnMatch, value "ou=B" } })
80 would return entries in the subtree <ou=A,dc=example,dc=com> and
81 entries in subtree <ou=B,dc=example,dc=com>, but would not return any
82 other entries in the subtree <dc=example,dc=com>.
84 In the above paragraph, DNs are presented using the string
85 representation defined in [RFC4514], and the example search filter is
86 presented using the string representation defined in [RFC4515] with
87 whitespace (line breaks and indentation) added to improve
88 readability. The 'componentFilterMatch' and 'rdnMatch' rules are
89 specified in [RFC3687].
91 Schema definitions are provided using LDAP description formats
92 [RFC4512]. Definitions provided here are formatted (line wrapped)
95 2. 'entryDN' Operational Attribute
97 The 'entryDN' operational attribute provides a copy of the entry's
100 The following is an LDAP attribute type description suitable for
101 publication in subschema subentries.
103 ( 1.3.6.1.1.20 NAME 'entryDN'
104 DESC 'DN of the entry'
105 EQUALITY distinguishedNameMatch
106 SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.12
109 USAGE directoryOperation )
114 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 2]
116 RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
119 Note that the DN of the entry cannot be modified through this
122 3. Security Considerations
124 As this attribute only provides an additional mechanism to access an
125 entry's DN, the introduction of this attribute is not believed to
126 introduce new security considerations.
128 4. IANA Considerations
130 4.1. Object Identifier Registration
132 IANA has registered (upon Standards Action) an LDAP Object Identifier
133 [RFC4520] for use in this document.
135 Subject: Request for LDAP OID Registration
136 Person & email address to contact for further information:
137 Kurt Zeilenga <Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM>
138 Specification: RFC 5020
139 Author/Change Controller: IESG
141 Identifies the 'entryDN' attribute type
143 4.2. 'entryDN' Descriptor Registration
145 IANA has registered (upon Standards Action) the LDAP 'entryDN'
146 descriptor [RFC4520].
148 Subject: Request for LDAP Descriptor Registration
149 Descriptor (short name): entryDN
150 Object Identifier: 1.3.6.1.1.20
151 Person & email address to contact for further information:
152 Kurt Zeilenga <Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM>
153 Usage: Attribute Type
154 Specification: RFC 5020
155 Author/Change Controller: IESG
170 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 3]
172 RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
177 5.1. Normative References
179 [RFC4510] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
180 (LDAP): Technical Specification Road Map", RFC 4510, June
183 [RFC4512] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
184 (LDAP): Directory Information Models", RFC 4512, June
187 [X.501] International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication
188 Standardization Sector, "The Directory -- Models,"
189 X.501(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-2:1994).
191 5.2. Informative References
193 [RFC3687] Legg, S., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
194 and X.500 Component Matching Rules", RFC 3687, February
197 [RFC4511] Sermersheim, J., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
198 Protocol (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, June 2006.
200 [RFC4514] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
201 (LDAP): String Representation of Distinguished Names",
204 [RFC4515] Smith, M., Ed., and T. Howes, "Lightweight Directory
205 Access Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of Search
206 Filters", RFC 4515, June 2006.
208 [RFC4520] Zeilenga, K., "Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
209 Considerations for the Lightweight Directory Access
210 Protocol (LDAP)", BCP 64, RFC 4520, June 2006.
217 EMail: Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM
226 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 4]
228 RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
231 Full Copyright Statement
233 Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2007).
235 This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions
236 contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors
237 retain all their rights.
239 This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
240 "AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS
241 OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY, THE IETF TRUST AND
242 THE INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS
243 OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF
244 THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED
245 WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
247 Intellectual Property
249 The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any
250 Intellectual Property Rights or other rights that might be claimed to
251 pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in
252 this document or the extent to which any license under such rights
253 might or might not be available; nor does it represent that it has
254 made any independent effort to identify any such rights. Information
255 on the procedures with respect to rights in RFC documents can be
256 found in BCP 78 and BCP 79.
258 Copies of IPR disclosures made to the IETF Secretariat and any
259 assurances of licenses to be made available, or the result of an
260 attempt made to obtain a general license or permission for the use of
261 such proprietary rights by implementers or users of this
262 specification can be obtained from the IETF on-line IPR repository at
263 http://www.ietf.org/ipr.
265 The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any
266 copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary
267 rights that may cover technology that may be required to implement
268 this standard. Please address the information to the IETF at
273 Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
282 Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 5]