RE: Comments on ldup-replica-req-00.txt

[Colin Robbins <Colin.Robbins@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 	Yes its a requirement - in X.500 the time limit for searches
> when provided by users is "seconds" when propagated in DSP its UTC time
> + seconds for obvious reasons - this means that DSAs when performing
> distributed searches need some synchronised time source if time limit is
> to be honoured.

X.500 does not need time synchronisation to perform DSP operations.  

The UTC component in DSP is an optional parameter.  If it is absent, a directory should fall back to the relative time limit specified by the user.   This is how the NameFLOW-Paradise project operates, with over 700 servers connected globally via DSP, a no time synchronisation.

Other projects I have been involved in, for example the EMA Directory Challenge, required the use of synchronised time servers. as the absolute UTC time component was used.  This cause no end of operation problems, due to unexpected results when the time on a remote server drifted out of synchronisation.

Replication has a different issues and requirements, but can and does work without synchronised time sources.  I would recommend, from practical experience, that replication should not require synchronised time sources.

(Note: This time limit in DSP is a UTC time i.e., 2 year date code -  Make sure your X.500 product has been millennium tested if you plan to use synchronised DSP time!) 

Colin