Forwarded mail from John Curran

[Erik Huizer <[e-mail]>]

Here's a reaction from John Curran to RFC-1430 (X.500 Strategy) that I feel
is important enough that I have taken the liberty of forwarding it to the
osi-ds list.

Erik

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Date:     Mon, 1 Mar 93 23:54:01 EST
From:     John Curran <jcurran@nic>
To:       [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
          [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject:  Comments on RFC1430 (X.500 Strategy)

Hello All,

  I apologize for using a long list of private email addresses, but in
RFC1430 no particular mailing list was identified for sending feedback.
As the deployment of new technologies has a great impact on network 
service providers, I feel it necessary to comment on one aspect of the 
X.500 deployment strategy.

  If the X.500 Internet deployment is to be considered seriously by 
end-user sites, a _very_ obvious migration path must be made available.
In the past, I participated in the work of several OSI groups at the IETF, 
and encouraged our members to participate in trials of X.500 and CLNP 
technology.    While many members did participate in these trials, it 
quickly became clear that most of the newer Internet sites saw the 
Internet as a tool, not a research project, and did not have the time 
or interest in pursuing such activities.

  In order to have a meaningful deployment, user communities must make
serious production use of X.500.  The increasing majority of sites on the 
Internet will not even consider trying a new technology unless tangible
benefits can be obtained.  This document does not provide any motivation
for sites to participate in this deployoment, aside from a brief mention
to [WR92] ("Executive Introduction to Directory Services" FYI13/RFC1308)
While the FYI document is an adaquate overview the X.500 solution, it is
arguable that sufficient motivation for participation is provided.

  X.500 could be a very useful technology for improving the value of the
Internet, and indeed may be necessary for continued long-term growth.  On
the other hand, neither of these statements is obvious to the new Internet
site and without a crystal clear short-term payoff there is unlikely to be 
any investment by these sites.  I would like to say that Internet service
providers will provide a leadership role in this area, but to do so would
be ignoring the commercial realities that most providers face.  For better
or for worse, Internet service provision has become a business, and as such
it more likely that providers will accomodate the older technologies desired 
by the user base rather than trying to "lead" user communities into newer
technologies.  One can expect this to be true even if the benefit to the 
entire Internet community is substantial.

  Remember, while growth of X.500 technology is occuring, the edge of the
Internet is growing exponentially, and hence the proportion of X.500 use
is _declining_ continously.  If X.500 is to be adopted, we must find a 
way to place it in _front_ of the expansion wave.  This will require
straightforward registration, very inexpensive software, and some X.500
specific benefits to the end-users.  I look forward to these conditions.

/John

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