RFC - 2426

vCard MIME Directory Profile

Original:	ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc2426.txt
Authors:	F. Dawson [Lotus Development Corporation], T. Howes [Netscape Communications]
Date:	September 1998
Category:	Proposed Standard

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Referred by:	24 RFC
Refers to:	10 RFC

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Status

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.

Abstract

This memo defines the profile of the MIME Content-Type [MIME-DIR] for directory information for a white-pages person object, based on a vCard electronic business card. The profile definition is independent of any particular directory service or protocol. The profile is defined for representing and exchanging a variety of information about an individual (e.g., formatted and structured name and delivery addresses, email address, multiple telephone numbers, photograph, logo, audio clips, etc.). The directory information used by this profile is based on the attributes for the person object defined in the X.520 and X.521 directory services recommendations. The profile also provides the method for including a [VCARD] representation of a white-pages directory entry within the MIME Content-Type defined by the [MIME-DIR] document.

The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY" and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in [RFC-2119].

Overview

The [MIME-DIR] document defines a MIME Content-Type for holding different kinds of directory information. The directory information can be based on any of a number of directory schemas. This document defines a [MIME-DIR] usage profile for conveying directory information based on one such schema; that of the white-pages type of person object.

The schema is based on the attributes for the person object defined in the X.520 and X.521 directory services recommendations. The schema has augmented the basic attributes defined in the X.500 series recommendation in order to provide for an electronic representation of the information commonly found on a paper business card. This schema was first defined in the [VCARD] document. Hence, this [MIME-DIR] profile is referred to as the vCard MIME Directory Profile.

A directory entry based on this usage profile can include traditional directory, white-pages information such as the distinguished name used to uniquely identify the entry, a formatted representation of the name used for user-interface or presentation purposes, both the structured and presentation form of the delivery address, various telephone numbers and organizational information associated with the entry. In addition, traditional paper business card information such as an image of an organizational logo or identify photograph can be included in this person object.

The vCard MIME Directory Profile also provides support for representing other important information about the person associated with the directory entry. For instance, the date of birth of the person; an audio clip describing the pronunciation of the name associated with the directory entry, or some other application of the digital sound; longitude and latitude geo-positioning information related to the person associated with the directory entry; date and time that the directory information was last updated; annotations often written on a business card; Uniform Resource Locators (URL) for a website; public key information. The profile also provides support for non-standard extensions to the schema. This provides the flexibility for implementations to augment the current capabilities of the profile in a standardized way. More information about this electronic business card format can be found in [VCARD].

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