<protocol> (LDAP) A protocol for accessing on-line directory
services. LDAP was defined by the IETF in order to encourage
adoption of X.500 directories. The Directory Access Protocol
(DAP) was seen as too complex for simple internet clients to
use. LDAP defines a relatively simple protocol for updating and
searching directories running over TCP/IP. LDAP is gaining
support from vendors such as Netscape, Novell, Sun, HP,
IBM/Lotus, SGI, AT&T, and Banyan An LDAP directory entry is a
collection of attributes with a name, called a distinguished
name (DN). The DN refers to the entry unambiguously. Each of the
entry's attributes has a type and one or more values. The types
are typically mnemonic strings, like "cn" for common name, or
"mail" for e-mail address. The values depend on the type. For
example, a mail attribute might contain the value
"email@example.com". A jpegPhoto attribute would contain a
photograph in binary JPEG/JFIF format. LDAP directory entries
are arranged in a hierarchical structure that reflects