Tim Howes
Encyclopedia
Tim Howes is the co-inventor of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP), the Internet standard for accessing directory servers
. The main purpose was to handle situations that the X.500
protocol suite could not address.
X.500 directories list network resources to make finding them and using them easier for network administrators and users. Unfortunately, accessing X.500 records has required a full-blown X.500 server; there was no such thing as an X.500 client. This led Howes to co-create DIXIE
, a directory client for X.500 directories. This work formed the basis of his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Michigan
and was the foundation for LDAP, a standards-based version of DIXIE for both clients and servers
. The first publicly available version of LDAP was published in 1993.
In 1996, after joining Netscape
as directory server architect, Howes was named one of the Top 25 Network Technology Drivers by Network Computing magazine. In 1997, LDAP version 3 won PC Magazine's
Technical Excellence: Networking award. Howes was also named a Netscape Fellow, Netscape
's highest engineering honor, and was promoted to Chief Technology Officer of Netscape's Server Products Division.
In 1999, shortly after AOL
acquired Netscape, Howes left AOL to co-found Loudcloud with Marc Andreessen
, Ben Horowitz
and In Sik Rhee. In 2002, Loudcloud shifted businesses and was renamed Opsware
. At Loudcloud & Opsware Tim held the positions of Executive Vice President and CTO. In 2007 Opsware was acquired by Hewlett-Packard
for $1.65 billion, and Howes became Vice President and CTO of HP Software.
In October 2008, Howes left Hewlett-Packard
to co-found RockMelt
with Eric Vishria
.
Howes also serves on the board of directors of Blue Coat Systems
.
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), the Internet standard for accessing directory servers
Directory service
A directory service is the software system that stores, organizes and provides access to information in a directory. In software engineering, a directory is a map between names and values. It allows the lookup of values given a name, similar to a dictionary...
. The main purpose was to handle situations that the 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...
protocol suite could not address.
X.500 directories list network resources to make finding them and using them easier for network administrators and users. Unfortunately, accessing X.500 records has required a full-blown X.500 server; there was no such thing as an X.500 client. This led Howes to co-create DIXIE
DIXIE
DIXIE is an obsolete protocol for accessing X.500 directory services. DIXIE was intended to provide a lightweightmeans 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...
, a directory client for X.500 directories. This work formed the basis of his Ph.D. dissertation 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...
and was the foundation for LDAP, a standards-based version of DIXIE for both clients and servers
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
. The first publicly available version of LDAP was published in 1993.
In 1996, after joining Netscape
Netscape
Netscape Communications is a US computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser. When it was an independent company, its headquarters were in Mountain View, California...
as directory server architect, Howes was named one of the Top 25 Network Technology Drivers by Network Computing magazine. In 1997, LDAP version 3 won PC Magazine's
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
Technical Excellence: Networking award. Howes was also named a Netscape Fellow, Netscape
Netscape
Netscape Communications is a US computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser. When it was an independent company, its headquarters were in Mountain View, California...
's highest engineering honor, and was promoted to Chief Technology Officer of Netscape's Server Products Division.
In 1999, shortly after AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
acquired Netscape, Howes left AOL to co-found Loudcloud with Marc Andreessen
Marc Andreessen
Marc Andreessen is an American entrepreneur, investor, software engineer, and multi-millionaire best known as co-author of Mosaic, the first widely-used web browser, and co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation. He founded and later sold the software company Opsware to Hewlett-Packard...
, Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz is a high technology entrepreneur and investor. He is best known for co-founding and running the enterprise software company Opsware. In July 2007, Horowitz sold Opsware to Hewlett-Packard for $1.6 billion in cash...
and In Sik Rhee. In 2002, Loudcloud shifted businesses and was renamed Opsware
Opsware
Opsware, Inc. was a software company based in Sunnyvale, California that offered products for server and network device provisioning, configuration, and management targeted toward enterprise customers...
. At Loudcloud & Opsware Tim held the positions of Executive Vice President and CTO. In 2007 Opsware was acquired by Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
for $1.65 billion, and Howes became Vice President and CTO of HP Software.
In October 2008, Howes left Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
to co-found RockMelt
RockMelt
RockMelt is a free social media web browser developed by Tim Howes and Eric Vishria. The project is backed by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen....
with Eric Vishria
Eric Vishria
Eric Vishria is co-founder and CEO of RockMelt, which he founded with Tim Howes in November, 2008 and launched in limited beta in November 2010....
.
Howes also serves on the board of directors of Blue Coat Systems
Blue Coat Systems
Blue Coat Systems Inc. is a network security and network management company based in Sunnyvale, California, United States.It identifies itself as an application delivery network specialist...
.