Network Working Group S. Kille Request for Comments: 2164 Isode Ltd. Obsoletes: 1838 January 1998 Category: Standards Track
Use of an X.500/LDAP directory to support MIXER address mapping
Status of this Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998). All Rights Reserved.
MIXER (RFC 2156) defines an algorithm for use of a set of global mapping between X.400 and RFC 822 addresses [4]. This specification defines how to represent and maintain these mappings (MIXER Conformant Global Address Mappings of MCGAMs) in an X.500 or LDAP directory. Mechanisms for representing OR Address and Domain hierarchies within the DIT are defined in [5, 2]. These techniques are used to define two independent subtrees in the DIT, which contain the mapping information. The benefits of this approach are:
1. The mapping information is kept in a clearly defined area which can be widely replicated in an efficient manner. The tree is constrained to hold only information needed to support the mapping. This is important as gateways need good access to the entire mapping.
2. It facilitates migration from a table-based approach.
3. It handles the issues of "missing components" in a natural manner.
An alternative approach which is not taken is to locate the information in the routing subtrees. The benefits of this would be:
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
o It is the "natural" location, and will also help to ensure correct administrative authority for a mapping definition.
o The tree will usually be accessed for routing, and so it will be efficient for addresses which are being routed.
This is not done, as the benefits of the approach proposed are greater.
MCGAMs are global. A MIXER gateway may use any set of MCGAMs. A key use of the directory is to enable MIXER gateways to share MCGAMs and to share the effort of maintaining and publishing MCGAMs. This specification and MIXER also recognise that there is not a single unique location for publication of all MCGAMs. This specification allows for multiple sets of MCGAMs to be published. Each set of MCGAMs is published under a single part of the directory. There are four mappings, which are represented by two subtrees located under any part of the DIT. For the examples the location defined below is used:
OU=MIXER MCGAMs, O=Zydeco Plc, C=GB
These subtree roots are of object class subtree, and use the mechanism for representing subtrees defined in [1].
X.400 to RFC 822 This table gives the equivalence mapping from X.400 to RFC 822. There is an OR Address tree under this. An example entry is:
RFC 822 to X.400 There is a domain tree under this. This table holds the equivalence mapping from RFC 822 to X.400, and the gateway mapping defined in RFC 1327. An example entry is:
The values of the table mapping are defined by use of two new object classes, as specified in Figure 1. The objects give pointers to the mapped components.
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
In MIXER, it is possible to have omitted components in OR Addresses on either side of the mapping. A mechanism to represent such omitted components is defined in Figure 2. The attribute at-or-address- component-type is set to the X.500 attribute type associated with the omitted component (e.g.,
rFC822ToX400Mapping OBJECT-CLASS ::= { SUBCLASS OF {domain-component} MAY CONTAIN { associatedORAddress| associatedX400Gateway} ID oc-rfc822-to-x400-mapping}
x400ToRFC822Mapping OBJECT-CLASS ::= { SUBCLASS OF {top} MAY CONTAIN { 10 associatedDomain| associatedInternetGateway} ID oc-x400-to-rfc822-mapping}
associatedORAddress ATTRIBUTE ::= { SUBTYPE OF distinguishedName SINGLE VALUE ID at-associated-or-address}
20 associatedX400Gateway ATTRIBUTE ::= { SUBTYPE OF mhs-or-addresses MULTI VALUE ID at-associated-x400-gateway}
associatedDomain ATTRIBUTE ::= { SUBTYPE OF name WITH SYNTAX caseIgnoreIA5String SINGLE VALUE ID at-associated-domain} 30
associatedInternetGateway ATTRIBUTE ::= { SUBTYPE OF name WITH SYNTAX caseIgnoreIA5String MULTI VALUE ID at-associated-internet-gateway}
Figure 1: Object Classes for MIXER mappings
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
omittedORAddressComponent OBJECT-CLASS ::= SUBCLASS OF {top} MUST Contain { oRAddressComponentType } ID oc-omitted-or-address-component}
oRAddressComponentType ATTRIBUTE ::= { SUBTYPE OF objectIdentifier 10 SINGLE VALUE ID at-or-address-component-type}
Figure 2: Omitted OR Address Component
at-prmd-name). This mechanism is for use only within the X.400 to RFC 822 subtree and for the at-associated-or-address attribute.
and return the mapping from the associatedDomain attribute, which gives the domain which this OR address maps to. This attribute is used to define authoritative mappings, which are placed in the open community tree. The manager of an MCGAM shall make the appropriate entry.
The Internet gateway mapping defined in MIXER[4] is provided by the associatedInternetGateway attribute. This value may identify multiple possible associated gateways. This information is looked up at the same time as mapped OR addresses. In effect, this provides a fallback mapping, which is found if there is no equivalence mapping. Because of the nature of the mapping an OR Address will map to either a gateway or a domain, but not both. Thus, there shall never be both
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
an associatedDomain and associatedInternetGateway attribute present in the same entry. Functionally, mapping takes place exactly according to MIXER. The longest match is found by the following algorithm.
1. Take the OR Address, and derive a directory name. This will be the OR Address as far as the lowest OU.
2. Look up the entire name derived from the MIXER key in the in the X.400 to RFC 822 subtree. This lookup will either succeed, or it will fail and indicate the longest possible match, which can then be looked up.
3. Check for an associatedDomain or associatedInternetGateway attribute in the matched entry.
The mapping can always be achieved with two lookups. Because of the availability of aliases, some of the table mappings may be simplified. In addition, the directory can support mapping from addresses using the numeric country codes.
There is an analogous structure for mappings in the reverse direction. The domain hierarchy is represented in the DIT according to RFC 1279. The domain:
This has associated with it the attribute associatedORAddress encoded as a distinguished name with a value: PRMD=Isode, ADMD=Mailnet, C=FI
The X.400 gateway mapping defined in MIXER[4] is provided by the associatedX400Gateway attribute. This value may identify multiple possible associated gateways. This information is looked up at the same time as mapped OR addresses. In effect, this provides a fallback mapping, which is found if there is no equivalence mapping. Because of the nature of the mapping a domain will map to either a gateway or a domain, but not both. Thus, there shall never be both an associatedX400Gateway and associatedORAddress attribute present in the same entry. Functionally, mapping takes place exactly according to MIXER. The longest match is found by the following algorithm.
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
1. Derive a directory name from the domain part of the RFC 822 address.
2. Look up this name in the RFC 822 to X.400 subtree to find the mapped value (either associatedORAddress or associatedX400Gateway.). If the lookup fails, the error will indicate the longest match, which can then be looked up.
If associatedORAddress is found, this will define the mapped OR Address. The mapping can always be achieved with two lookups. If an associatedX400Gateway is present, the address in question will be encoded as a domain defined attribute, relative to the OR Address defined by this attribute. If multiple associatedX400Gateway attributes are found, the MTA may select the one it chooses to use.
Because of the availability of aliases, some of the table mappings may be simplified. In addition, the directory can support mapping from addresses using the numeric country codes.
The directory information to support identification of MCGAMs is given in Figure 3. A MIXER gateway simply identifies the an ordered lists of MCGAM collections that it will use for lookup. These are referenced by name. A gateway is not required to use any MCGAMs. Where MCGAMs are accessed from multiple sources, it is recommended that all of the sources be accessed in order to determine the MCGAM which gives the
mixerGateway OBJECT-CLASS ::= KIND auxiliary SUBCLASS OF {mhs-message-transfer-agent} MUST Contain { mcgamTables } ID oc-mixer-gateway}
mcgamTables ATTRIBUTE ::= { 10 WITH SYNTAX SEQUENCE OF DistinguishedName SINGLE VALUE ID at-mcgam-tables}
Figure 3: Object Classes for MCGAM selection
best match.
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
This document specifies a means by which the X.500/LDAP directory service can direct the translation between X.400 and Internet mail addresses. This can indirectly affect the routing of messages across a gateway between X.400 and Internet Mail. A succesful attack on this service could cause incorrect translation of an originator address (thus "forging" the originator address), or incorrect translation of a recipient address (thus directing the mail to an unauthorized recipient, or making it appear to an authorized recipient, that the message was intended for recipients other than those chosen by the originator). When cryptographic authentication is available for directory responses, clients shall employ those mechanisms to verify the authenticity and integrity of those responses.
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RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
RFC 2164 X.500/LDAP Directory to Support MIXER January 1998
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