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Re: correct modifiersName and modifyTimeStamp behavior?



Date forwarded: 	Wed, 4 Aug 1999 07:39:11 -0700 (PDT)
Date sent:      	Wed, 04 Aug 1999 10:39:02 -0400
From:           	Mark Smith <mcs@netscape.com>
Organization:   	Netscape Communications
To:             	ietf-ldapext@netscape.com
Subject:        	correct modifiersName and modifyTimeStamp behavior?
Forwarded by:   	ietf-ldapext@netscape.com


Mark,

I have taken the liberty of forwarding this message to the X.500 
group, but I agree that the standard is not precise. I would probably 
plump for option b) below, but I can also see an argument for a). I 
can say quite definately that c) was never intended. I think you 
would be perfectly in order to raise a defect report on this asking for 
clarification. Do you have the proforma for this?

David

> When should an LDAP server add or update the values for modifiersName and
> modifyTimeStamp within an entry?  Some choices:
> 
> (a) During all successful update operations except delete (add, modify,
> moddn).
> 
> (b) During all successful modify and moddn operations (but not when the
> entry is added).
> 
> (c) During successful modify operations only.
> 
> Our server does (a) but some people say we should be doing (b) or (c) (and
> that clients that count on the presence of modifyTimeStamp or
> modifiersName values within newly added entries are broken).  The
> standards are not 100% clear.  RFCs 2251 and 2252 seem to say that (c) is
> the right answer.  X.501 implies (c) but there is a note in X.511 under
> the modDN description that says "The modifyTimeStamp attribute is not
> updated for entries subordinate to the renamed or moved entry." This
> implies that modifyTimeStamp should be updated in the entry that is
> renamed (choice b).
> 
> Opinions?  I'd like to see this clarified in future updates to RFC 2251
> and/or 2252.
> 
> -- 
> Mark Smith
> iPlanet Directory Architect / Sun-Netscape Alliance
> My words are my own, not my employer's.   Got LDAP?
> 
> 


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David Chadwick
IS Institute, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT
Tel +44 161 295 5351  Fax +44 161 745 8169
Mobile +44 790 167 0359
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