Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
<protocol> (LDAP) A protocol for accessing on-line directory services.
LDAP was defined by the IETF in order to encourage adoption of X.500
directories. The Directory Access Protocol (DAP) was seen as too complex for
simple internet clients to use. LDAP defines a relatively simple protocol for
updating and searching directories running over TCP/IP.
LDAP is gaining support from vendors such as Netscape, Novell, Sun, HP,
IBM/Lotus, SGI, AT&T, and Banyan
An LDAP directory entry is a collection of attributes with a name, called a
distinguished name (DN). The DN refers to the entry unambiguously. Each of the
entry's attributes has a type and one or more values. The types are typically
mnemonic strings, like "cn" for common name, or "mail" for e-mail address. The
values depend on the type. For example, a mail attribute might contain the value
"donald.duck@disney.com". A jpegPhoto attribute would contain a photograph in
binary JPEG/JFIF format.
LDAP directory entries are arranged in a hierarchical structure that reflects
political, geographic, and/or organisational boundaries. Entries representing
countries appear at the top of the tree. Below them are entries representing
states or national organisations. Below them might be entries representing
people, organisational units, printers, documents, or just about anything else.
RFC 1777, RFC 1778, RFC 1959, RFC 1960, RFC 1823.
LDAP v3.
[Difference v1, v2, v3?]
(2003-09-27)
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