RFC5020: The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) entryDN Operational Attribute
Download in PDF format Download in text format
Related keywords:
(X.500)
Network Working Group K. Zeilenga
Request for Comments: 5020 Isode Limited
Category: Standards Track August 2007
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) entryDN
Operational Attribute
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 IETF Trust (2007).
Abstract
This document describes the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP) / X.500 'entryDN' operational attribute. The attribute
provides a copy of the entry's distinguished name for use in
attribute value assertions.
Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 1]
RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
1. Background and Intended Use
In X.500 Directory Services [X.501], such as those accessible using
the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) [RFC4510], an entry
is identified by its distinguished name (DN) [RFC4512]. However, as
an entry's DN is not an attribute of the entry, it is not possible to
perform attribute value assertions [RFC4511] against it.
This document describes the 'entryDN' operational attribute which
holds a copy of the entry's distinguished name. This attribute may
be used in search filters. For instance, searching the subtree
<dc=example,dc=com> with the filter:
(entryDN:componentFilterMatch:=or:{
item:{ component "3", rule rdnMatch, value "ou=A" },
item:{ component "3", rule rdnMatch, value "ou=B" } })
would return entries in the subtree <ou=A,dc=example,dc=com> and
entries in subtree <ou=B,dc=example,dc=com>, but would not return any
other entries in the subtree <dc=example,dc=com>.
In the above paragraph, DNs are presented using the string
representation defined in [RFC4514], and the example search filter is
presented using the string representation defined in [RFC4515] with
whitespace (line breaks and indentation) added to improve
readability. The 'componentFilterMatch' and 'rdnMatch' rules are
specified in [RFC3687].
Schema definitions are provided using LDAP description formats
[RFC4512]. Definitions provided here are formatted (line wrapped)
for readability.
2. 'entryDN' Operational Attribute
The 'entryDN' operational attribute provides a copy of the entry's
current DN.
The following is an LDAP attribute type description suitable for
publication in subschema subentries.
( 1.3.6.1.1.20 NAME 'entryDN'
DESC 'DN of the entry'
EQUALITY distinguishedNameMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.12
SINGLE-VALUE
NO-USER-MODIFICATION
USAGE directoryOperation )
Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 2]
RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
Note that the DN of the entry cannot be modified through this
attribute.
3. Security Considerations
As this attribute only provides an additional mechanism to access an
entry's DN, the introduction of this attribute is not believed to
introduce new security considerations.
4. IANA Considerations
4.1. Object Identifier Registration
IANA has registered (upon Standards Action) an LDAP Object Identifier
[RFC4520] for use in this document.
Subject: Request for LDAP OID Registration
Person & email address to contact for further information:
Kurt Zeilenga <Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM>
Specification: RFC 5020
Author/Change Controller: IESG
Comments:
Identifies the 'entryDN' attribute type
4.2. 'entryDN' Descriptor Registration
IANA has registered (upon Standards Action) the LDAP 'entryDN'
descriptor [RFC4520].
Subject: Request for LDAP Descriptor Registration
Descriptor (short name): entryDN
Object Identifier: 1.3.6.1.1.20
Person & email address to contact for further information:
Kurt Zeilenga <Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM>
Usage: Attribute Type
Specification: RFC 5020
Author/Change Controller: IESG
Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 3]
RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
5. References
5.1. Normative References
[RFC4510] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP): Technical Specification Road Map", RFC 4510, June
2006.
[RFC4512] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP): Directory Information Models", RFC 4512, June
2006.
[X.501] International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication
Standardization Sector, "The Directory -- Models,"
X.501(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-2:1994).
5.2. Informative References
[RFC3687] Legg, S., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
and X.500 Component Matching Rules", RFC 3687, February
2004.
[RFC4511] Sermersheim, J., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, June 2006.
[RFC4514] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP): String Representation of Distinguished Names",
RFC 4514, June 2006.
[RFC4515] Smith, M., Ed., and T. Howes, "Lightweight Directory
Access Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of Search
Filters", RFC 4515, June 2006.
[RFC4520] Zeilenga, K., "Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
Considerations for the Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP)", BCP 64, RFC 4520, June 2006.
Author's Address
Kurt D. Zeilenga
Isode Limited
EMail: Kurt.Zeilenga@Isode.COM
Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 4]
RFC 5020 LDAP entryDN August 2007
Full Copyright Statement
Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2007).
This document is subject to the rights, licenses and restrictions
contained in BCP 78, and except as set forth therein, the authors
retain all their rights.
This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
"AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS
OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY, THE IETF TRUST AND
THE INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF
THE INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Intellectual Property
The IETF takes no position regarding the validity or scope of any
Intellectual Property Rights or other rights that might be claimed to
pertain to the implementation or use of the technology described in
this document or the extent to which any license under such rights
might or might not be available; nor does it represent that it has
made any independent effort to identify any such rights. Information
on the procedures with respect to rights in RFC documents can be
found in BCP 78 and BCP 79.
Copies of IPR disclosures made to the IETF Secretariat and any
assurances of licenses to be made available, or the result of an
attempt made to obtain a general license or permission for the use of
such proprietary rights by implementers or users of this
specification can be obtained from the IETF on-line IPR repository at
http://www.ietf.org/ipr.
The IETF invites any interested party to bring to its attention any
copyrights, patents or patent applications, or other proprietary
rights that may cover technology that may be required to implement
this standard. Please address the information to the IETF at
ietf-ipr@ietf.org.
Acknowledgement
Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
Internet Society.
Zeilenga Standards Track [Page 5]