Re: root dse search

["Kurt D. Zeilenga" <Kurt@OpenLDAP.org>]

At 09:45 AM 3/15/01 -0500, Mark C Smith wrote:
>For better or worse, the Netscape server (now iPlanet) has always
>returned the root DSE attributes without the client requesting them by
>name.

Some servers also return all operational attributes without
requesting them by name for other entries, in particular
subschema entries (despite even clearer indication in the
TS that 4.5.1 restrictions apply here as well).

>I am sure that means there are a lot of clients out there that DO
>NOT request them by name.  My practical side says, let's not break those
>clients.

Are you actually proposing we actually add language
to the TS explicitly requiring all server implementations
to return all root DSE operational attributes without their
request by name?

If so, I note that additional language should explicitly
state that due to the possibility of large number of
attributes and values that clients SHOULD request desired
attributes by name to avoid getting pounded.  Also, as
you noted with my "+" proposal, you should put in a
statement that the server is not obligated to return
all operational attributes when requested to do so as
some operational attributes are very expensive to
produce or are made available under large number of
attribute descriptions.

 From a practical side, I note that most folks are fixing
these clients to solicit the attributes they desire.  They
are doing this for a number of reasons including:
   because they run into a server which requires this,
   because they run into a server which returns a large
     number of undesirable attributes and values, and
   because they run into a server which returns a small
     number of expensive to produce attributes and values.

Kurt