Network Working Group
Request for Comments: 1491
FYI: 21
Category:
July 1993


C. Weider, Merit Network, Inc.
R. Wright, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

A Survey of Advanced Usages of X.500

Status of this Memo

This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

This document is the result of a survey asking people to detail their advanced usages of X.500. It is intended to show how various organizations are using X.500 in ways which extend the view of X.500 as a "White Pages" service. This RFC is a product of the Integrated Directory Services Working Group of the Application and User Services Areas of the IETF.

1. Introduction

As the use of X.500 spreads in the Internet, organizations are finding uses for it which go beyond the "white pages" paradigm which has been used to introduce it to new users. Consequently, to document those new uses and to encourage the wider use of X.500, we sent out a survey to obtain "advanced usages" of X.500.

1.1 The survey

The survey we sent out is included here for two purposes:


1) completeness, and
2) we'd like to encourage anyone who retrieves this document to send us their advanced usage for inclusion in the next revision.

If you wish to fill this out, please send it to the working group list: IDS@merit.edu.



Application Name:

Author(s):

Company or Institution:

e-mail address for more information:

If this is a product for public distribution, please give us the
Type: FREE, COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, or PROTOTYPE/RESEARCH

FREE               - Anyone may obtain this product at zero cost.
COMMERCIAL PRODUCT - One may purchase this product.
PROTOTYPE/RESEARCH - This product is not yet available, only a prototype.

If FREE, please give us:
FTP and/or FTAM address (if available via FTP and/or FTAM):

If COMMERCIAL, please give us:
Directions to obtain product:

Availability: (When will product be available?)

List of platforms product runs on:
[The platform list can be general - e.g. UNIX]

Short Description ( <  100 words):

Full Description ( <  1 page):

Fig. 1: Advanced Usages Survey Template


This survey went out to the following mailing lists: osi- ds@cs.ucl.ac.uk, disi@merit.edu (now ids@merit.edu), and dssig@ics.uci.edu.

1.2 Disclaimer

Descriptions of the advanced usages were written by the implementors, and not by the members of IDS. Although IDS has worked with the description authors to ensure readability, no guarantees can be made regarding the validity of descriptions. Caveat emptor.

2. The Survey Responses

2.1 Index to Responses

Application .......... Page


2.2.1 Global Time-table Information Service ................ 3
2.2.2 Pre-Message Security Protocol ................ 4
2.2.3 Electronic Data Interchange ................ 5
2.2.4 Network Topology Information ................ 7
2.2.4.1 Shared Whois Information Project ................ 7
2.2.4.2 EARN's Network Directory ................ 8
2.2.5 Soft Pages ................ 9
2.2.6 X-Tel ................ 10
2.2.7 Xerox Clearinghouse ................ 12
2.2.8 X.500 Sendmail ................ 13
2.2.9 Transparent ODA Conversion ................ 14
2.2.10 X.500 and the whois protocol ................ 16
2.2.11 X.400 table handling ................ 17

2.2 Survey Responses

2.2.1 Global Time-table Information Service

Application Name: Global Time-table Information Service based on X.500

Date Received: 7/1/1992

Date Last Validated: 7/1/1992


Author(s):
Jens Hofmann
Cuno Lanz


Company or Institution:
Laboratory of Computer Engineering and Networks, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) Switzerland

e-mail address for more information: c=CH; a=ARCOM; p=SWITCH; o=ETHZ; ou=TIK; s=Lanz (lanz@tik.ethz.ch)

Type: experimental prototype; not public

FTP address: < none >

Short Description:
This application aims at integrating the time-table information services offered by public transport providers of different scope (local, regional, national or international) into a homogeneous and unified user interface. X.500 is used to store the information in an autonomous and extensible way.

Full Description:
Most of the public tranport providers offer some kind of time-table information service like printed directory, help-desk, telephone support or PC software. Unfortunately these services have some of the following drawbacks: