xref: /netbsd-src/external/bsd/openldap/dist/doc/rfc/rfc4526.txt (revision 2de962bd804263c16657f586aa00f1704045df8e)
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7Network Working Group                                        K. Zeilenga
8Request for Comments: 4526                           OpenLDAP Foundation
9Category: Standards Track                                      June 2006
10
11
12              Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
13                    Absolute True and False Filters
14
15Status of This Memo
16
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.
22
23Copyright Notice
24
25   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).
26
27Abstract
28
29   This document extends the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
30   (LDAP) to support absolute True and False filters based upon similar
31   capabilities found in X.500 directory systems.  The document also
32   extends the String Representation of LDAP Search Filters to support
33   these filters.
34
35Table of Contents
36
37   1. Background ......................................................1
38   2. Absolute True and False Filters .................................2
39   3. Security Considerations .........................................2
40   4. IANA Considerations .............................................3
41   5. References ......................................................3
42      5.1. Normative References .......................................3
43      5.2. Informative References .....................................3
44
451.  Background
46
47   The X.500 Directory Access Protocol (DAP) [X.511] supports absolute
48   True and False assertions.  An 'and' filter with zero elements always
49   evaluates to True.  An 'or' filter with zero elements always
50   evaluates to False.  These filters are commonly used when requesting
51   DSA-specific Entries (DSEs) that do not necessarily have
52   'objectClass' attributes; that is, where "(objectClass=*)" may
53   evaluate to False.
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58Zeilenga                    Standards Track                     [Page 1]
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60RFC 4526          LDAP Absolute True and False Filters         June 2006
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62
63   Although LDAPv2 [RFC1777][RFC3494] placed no restriction on the
64   number of elements in 'and' and 'or' filter sets, the LDAPv2 string
65   representation [RFC1960][RFC3494] could not represent empty 'and' and
66   'or' filter sets.  Due to this, absolute True or False filters were
67   (unfortunately) eliminated from LDAPv3 [RFC4510].
68
69   This documents extends LDAPv3 to support absolute True and False
70   assertions by allowing empty 'and' and 'or' in Search filters
71   [RFC4511] and extends the filter string representation [RFC4515] to
72   allow empty filter lists.
73
74   It is noted that certain search operations, such as those used to
75   retrieve subschema information [RFC4512], require use of particular
76   filters.  This document does not change these requirements.
77
78   This feature is intended to allow a more direct mapping between DAP
79   and LDAP (as needed to implement DAP-to-LDAP gateways).
80
81   In this document, the key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED",
82   "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY",
83   and "OPTIONAL" are to be interpreted as described in BCP 14
84   [RFC2119].
85
862.  Absolute True and False Filters
87
88   Implementations of this extension SHALL allow 'and' and 'or' choices
89   with zero filter elements.
90
91   An 'and' filter consisting of an empty set of filters SHALL evaluate
92   to True.  This filter is represented by the string "(&)".
93
94   An 'or' filter consisting of an empty set of filters SHALL evaluate
95   to False.  This filter is represented by the string "(|)".
96
97   Servers supporting this feature SHOULD publish the Object Identifier
98   1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.1.5.3 as a value of the 'supportedFeatures'
99   [RFC4512] attribute in the root DSE.
100
101   Clients supporting this feature SHOULD NOT use the feature unless
102   they know that the server supports it.
103
1043.  Security Considerations
105
106   The (re)introduction of absolute True and False filters is not
107   believed to raise any new security considerations.
108
109   Implementors of this (or any) LDAPv3 extension should be familiar
110   with general LDAPv3 security considerations [RFC4510].
111
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114Zeilenga                    Standards Track                     [Page 2]
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116RFC 4526          LDAP Absolute True and False Filters         June 2006
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118
1194.  IANA Considerations
120
121   Registration of this feature has been completed by the IANA
122   [RFC4520].
123
124   Subject: Request for LDAP Protocol Mechanism Registration Object
125   Identifier: 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.1.5.3 Description: True/False filters
126   Person & email address to contact for further information:
127        Kurt Zeilenga <kurt@openldap.org> Usage: Feature Specification:
128   RFC 4526 Author/Change Controller: IESG Comments: none
129
130   This OID was assigned [ASSIGN] by OpenLDAP Foundation, under its
131   IANA-assigned private enterprise allocation [PRIVATE], for use in
132   this specification.
133
1345.  References
135
1365.1.  Normative References
137
138   [RFC2119]     Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
139                 Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
140
141   [RFC4510]     Zeilenga, K., Ed, "Lightweight Directory Access
142                 Protocol (LDAP): Technical Specification Road Map", RFC
143                 4510, June 2006.
144
145   [RFC4511]     Sermersheim, J., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
146                 Protocol (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, June 2006.
147
148   [RFC4512]     Zeilenga, K., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
149                 (LDAP): Directory Information Models", RFC 4512, June
150                 2006.
151
152   [RFC4515]     Smith, M., Ed. and T. Howes, "Lightweight Directory
153                 Access Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of Search
154                 Filters", RFC 4515, June 2006.
155
1565.2.  Informative References
157
158   [RFC1777]     Yeong, W., Howes, T., and S. Kille, "Lightweight
159                 Directory Access Protocol", RFC 1777, March 1995.
160
161   [RFC1960]     Howes, T., "A String Representation of LDAP Search
162                 Filters", RFC 1960, June 1996.
163
164   [RFC3494]     Zeilenga, K., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
165                 version 2 (LDAPv2) to Historic Status", RFC 3494, March
166                 2003.
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170Zeilenga                    Standards Track                     [Page 3]
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172RFC 4526          LDAP Absolute True and False Filters         June 2006
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174
175   [RFC4520]     Zeilenga, K., "Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
176                 (IANA) Considerations for the Lightweight Directory
177                 Access Protocol (LDAP)", BCP 64, RFC 4520, June 2006.
178
179   [X.500]       International Telecommunication Union -
180                 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
181                 Directory -- Overview of concepts, models and
182                 services," X.500(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-1:1994).
183
184   [X.501]       International Telecommunication Union -
185                 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
186                 Directory -- Models," X.501(1993) (also ISO/IEC 9594-
187                 2:1994).
188
189   [X.511]       International Telecommunication Union -
190                 Telecommunication Standardization Sector, "The
191                 Directory: Abstract Service Definition", X.511(1993)
192                 (also ISO/IEC 9594-3:1993).
193
194   [ASSIGN]      OpenLDAP Foundation, "OpenLDAP OID Delegations",
195                 http://www.openldap.org/foundation/oid-delegate.txt.
196
197   [PRIVATE]     IANA, "Private Enterprise Numbers",
198                 http://www.iana.org/assignments/enterprise-numbers.
199
200Author's Address
201
202   Kurt D. Zeilenga
203   OpenLDAP Foundation
204
205   EMail: Kurt@OpenLDAP.org
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228RFC 4526          LDAP Absolute True and False Filters         June 2006
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231Full Copyright Statement
232
233   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).
234
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.
238
239   This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
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241   OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET
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271Acknowledgement
272
273   Funding for the RFC Editor function is provided by the IETF
274   Administrative Support Activity (IASA).
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