The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Content Synchronization Operation
RFC 4533

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• 06

Network Working Group                                        K. Zeilenga
Request for Comments: 4533                           OpenLDAP Foundation
Category: Experimental                                         J.H. Choi
                                                         IBM Corporation
                                                               June 2006

           The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
                   Content Synchronization Operation

Status of This Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.
   Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2006).

IESG Note

   The IESG notes that this work was originally discussed in the LDUP
   working group.  The group came to consensus on a different approach,
   documented in RFC 3928; that document is on the standards track and
   should be reviewed by those considering implementation of this
   proposal.

Abstract

   This specification describes the Lightweight Directory Access
   Protocol (LDAP) Content Synchronization Operation.  The operation
   allows a client to maintain a copy of a fragment of the Directory
   Information Tree (DIT).  It supports both polling for changes and
   listening for changes.  The operation is defined as an extension of
   the LDAP Search Operation.

Zeilenga & Choi               Experimental                      [Page 1]
RFC 4533         LDAP Content Synchronization Operation        June 2006

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction ....................................................3
      1.1. Background .................................................3
      1.2. Intended Usage .............................................4
      1.3. Overview ...................................................5
      1.4. Conventions ................................................8
   2. Elements of the Sync Operation ..................................8
      2.1. Common ASN.1 Elements ......................................9
      2.2. Sync Request Control .......................................9
      2.3. Sync State Control ........................................10
      2.4. Sync Done Control .........................................10
      2.5. Sync Info Message .........................................11
      2.6. Sync Result Codes .........................................11
   3. Content Synchronization ........................................11
      3.1. Synchronization Session ...................................12
      3.2. Content Determination .....................................12
      3.3. refreshOnly Mode ..........................................13
      3.4. refreshAndPersist Mode ....................................16
      3.5. Search Request Parameters .................................17
      3.6. objectName ................................................18
      3.7. Canceling the Sync Operation ..............................19
      3.8. Refresh Required ..........................................19
      3.9. Chattiness Considerations .................................20
      3.10. Operation Multiplexing ...................................21
   4. Meta Information Considerations ................................22
      4.1. Entry DN ..................................................22
      4.2. Operational Attributes ....................................22
      4.3. Collective Attributes .....................................23
      4.4. Access and Other Administrative Controls ..................23
   5. Interaction with Other Controls ................................23
      5.1. ManageDsaIT Control .......................................24
      5.2. Subentries Control ........................................24
   6. Shadowing Considerations .......................................24
   7. Security Considerations ........................................25
   8. IANA Considerations ............................................26
      8.1. Object Identifier .........................................26
      8.2. LDAP Protocol Mechanism ...................................26
      8.3. LDAP Result Codes .........................................26
   9. Acknowledgements ...............................................26
   10. Normative References ..........................................27
   11. Informative References ........................................28
   Appendix A.  CSN-based Implementation Considerations ..............29

Zeilenga & Choi               Experimental                      [Page 2]
RFC 4533         LDAP Content Synchronization Operation        June 2006

1.  Introduction

   The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) [RFC4510] provides a
   mechanism, the search operation [RFC4511], that allows a client to
   request directory content matching a complex set of assertions and to