This overview of the LDAP standard discusses its creation and history with the Internet Engineering Task Force, as well as the original RFC standard. Also covers compliance trends, implementation, data packet handling in C++, client/server responsibilities and more.

Two years ago, the Internet Engineering Task Force began studying directory protocols, searching for a solution to outdated protocols. That search prompted the creation of LDAP, the new protocol for inter-network directory services. Since that time, Microsoft, Netscape, IBM, Novell and other companies have adopted LDAP as a complete directory services solution. This is the essential resource for programmers, software engineers, and network administrators who need to understand and implement LDAP to keep software applications compliant. If you design or program software for network computing or are interested in directory services, LDAP: Programming Directory-Enabled Applications with Lightweight Directory Access Protocol is an essential resource to help you understand the LDAP API; learn how to write LDAP programs; understand how to LDAP-enable an existing application; and learn how to use a set of command-line LDAP tools to search and update directory information.