[comp.protocols.iso] Remote Operations Profiles

ald1@jcricket.ctt.bellcore.com (Alan Dickman) (06/10/91)

The 1988 OSI Remote Operations standard makes it possible to include
user-optional information in the argument field of the BIND and UNBIND
operations.  It can be used to convey credentials or other information
between Application Entities.  It might be used to convey a version
number.  If there are no guidelines for the use of these options, it
would be easy to utilize them in ways that hamstring interoperability.

Has NIST, any other public or private organizations come up with rules
for the use of the ROS BIND/UNBIND arguments or other "user-options"?
If you know/have and answer to my specific or general questions, I
would appreciate your response!

Thanks!

<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  Alan Dickman, 908-699-4381  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>
<>>>>>>>  Raritan River Software Center,  RRC 1M-219  <<<<<<<<<>
<>>>>>  Bellcore, 444 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, N.J.  08854  <<<<<>
<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  ald1@dduck.ctt.bellcore.com  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>

cwm@sooner.palo-alto.ca.us (Chris Moore) (06/11/91)

ald1@jcricket.ctt.bellcore.com (Alan Dickman) writes:
>The 1988 OSI Remote Operations standard makes it possible to include
>user-optional information in the argument field of the BIND and UNBIND
>operations.  It can be used to convey credentials or other information
>between Application Entities.  It might be used to convey a version
>number.  If there are no guidelines for the use of these options, it
>would be easy to utilize them in ways that hamstring interoperability.

>Has NIST, any other public or private organizations come up with rules
>for the use of the ROS BIND/UNBIND arguments or other "user-options"?
>If you know/have and answer to my specific or general questions, I
>would appreciate your response!

In general the different OSI applications define ways to make use of this
information.  For example, X.500 (Directory) uses this capability to do
exactly what you describe -- to pass information about the various
entities involved in establishing an association.  X.500 does make us of
this to pass both simple credentials as well as public key based creditials
depending on the type of authentication desired.

There is a lot of worth while information about this usage in the X.500
standards if you are after more material on the issue.  Then the OIW (NIST)
group on X.500 has done a fair amount of work in terms of implementation
agreements on the use of this information.

Hope this helps!

  - Chris