DIXIE
Encyclopedia
DIXIE is an obsolete protocol
for accessing X.500
directory services. DIXIE was intended to provide a lightweight
means for clients to access X.500 directory services. DIXIE allowed TCP/IP
clients to connect a DIXIE-to-DAP gateway which would provide access to the X.500 Directory Service. This design allows the client to access the directory without requiring it to support the cumbersome Open Systems Interconnection
protocol stack.
DIXIE was created in 1990 at the University of Michigan
by Tim Howes
, Mark Smith, and Bryan Beecher. DIXIE was formally specified in RFC 1249, published in 1991. The university offered a completed UNIX
implementation of the protocol, including a DIXIE server, an application development library, and DIXIE clients. A DIXIE client for Apple Macintosh was also provided.
These efforts led to the development of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
. LDAP replaced DIXIE.
When created, the acronym DIXIE did not stand for anything, however later it become known to stand for Directory Interface to X.500 Implemented Efficiently.
Communications protocol
A communications protocol is a system of digital message formats and rules for exchanging those messages in or between computing systems and in telecommunications...
for accessing X.500
X.500
X.500 is a series of computer networking standards covering electronic directory services. The X.500 series was developed by ITU-T, formerly known as CCITT, and first approved in 1988. The directory services were developed in order to support the requirements of X.400 electronic mail exchange and...
directory services. DIXIE was intended to provide a lightweight
means for clients to access X.500 directory services. DIXIE allowed TCP/IP
Internet protocol suite
The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
clients to connect a DIXIE-to-DAP gateway which would provide access to the X.500 Directory Service. This design allows the client to access the directory without requiring it to support the cumbersome Open Systems Interconnection
Open Systems Interconnection
Open Systems Interconnection is an effort to standardize networking that was started in 1977 by the International Organization for Standardization , along with the ITU-T.-History:...
protocol stack.
DIXIE was created in 1990 at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
by Tim Howes
Tim Howes
Tim Howes is the co-inventor of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol , the Internet standard for accessing directory servers. The main purpose was to handle situations that the X.500 protocol suite could not address....
, Mark Smith, and Bryan Beecher. DIXIE was formally specified in RFC 1249, published in 1991. The university offered a completed UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
implementation of the protocol, including a DIXIE server, an application development library, and DIXIE clients. A DIXIE client for Apple Macintosh was also provided.
These efforts led to the development of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol is an application protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol network...
. LDAP replaced DIXIE.
When created, the acronym DIXIE did not stand for anything, however later it become known to stand for Directory Interface to X.500 Implemented Efficiently.