1. Introduction

The Directory is "a collection of open systems cooperating to provide directory services" [X.500]. A directory user, which may be a human or other entity, accesses the Directory through a client (or Directory User Agent (DUA)). The client, on behalf of the directory user, interacts with one or more servers (or Directory System Agents (DSA)). Clients interact with servers using a directory access protocol.

This document details the protocol elements of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), along with their semantics. Following the description of protocol elements, it describes the way in which the protocol elements are encoded and transferred.

1.1. Relationship to Other LDAP Specifications

This document is an integral part of the LDAP Technical Specification [RFC4510], which obsoletes the previously defined LDAP technical specification, RFC 3377, in its entirety.

This document, together with [RFC4510], [RFC4513], and [RFC4512], obsoletes RFC 2251 in its entirety. Section 3.3 is obsoleted by [RFC4510]. Sections 4.2.1 (portions) and 4.2.2 are obsoleted by [RFC4513]. Sections 3.2, 3.4, 4.1.3 (last paragraph), 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.5.1, 4.1.9 (last paragraph), 5.1, 6.1, and 6.2 (last paragraph) are obsoleted by [RFC4512]. The remainder of RFC 2251 is obsoleted by this document. Appendix C.1 summarizes substantive changes in the remainder.

This document obsoletes RFC 2830, Sections 2 and 4. The remainder of RFC 2830 is obsoleted by [RFC4513]. Appendix C.2 summarizes substantive changes to the remaining sections.

This document also obsoletes RFC 3771 in entirety.

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