Isode Limited
Encyclopedia
Isode Limited is a software company based in the United Kingdom
. Isode develops and markets messaging and directory server software based on the LDAP and X.500
protocols (directory) and SMTP, IMAP, POP3, XMPP
and X.400
protocols (messaging).
who founded the ISODE consortium in 1992. Steve Kille, together with Tim Howes
of the University of Michigan
and Wengyik Yeong
of Performance Systems International
, authored the original LDAP protocol.
compatible directory server
.
based on the SMTP protocol.
M-Switch X.400 is a MTA
using the X.400
protocol.
M-Box is a mail server, delivering mail using the IMAP and POP3 protocols.
M-Store is an X.400
message store.
Instant Messaging
and Presence server.
) with the company's support. These include RFCs covering LDAP, X.500, MIXER and IMAP.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Isode develops and markets messaging and directory server software based on the LDAP and 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...
protocols (directory) and SMTP, IMAP, POP3, XMPP
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
and X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
protocols (messaging).
History
Isode was formed in 1992, originally as the not-for-profit ISODE Consortium, to develop Internet/X.400 messaging and LDAP/X.500 directory servers. It became a commercial operation, Isode Limited, in 1996. In 1999, Isode merged with Execmail to form Messaging Direct and in 2001 was purchased by Transaction Systems Architects (later ACI Worldwide). Isode was re-established as an independent company on November 1, 2002.Personnel
Isode currently employs 25 people, Isode's CEO is Steve KilleSteve Kille
Steve Kille is an English software engineer.He has worked on Internet technologies since 1980, and was one of the principal engineers behind the ISODE open-source implementation of the OSI protocol stack....
who founded the ISODE consortium in 1992. Steve Kille, together with 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....
of 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 Wengyik Yeong
Wengyik Yeong
Wengyik 'Weng' Yeong was an American computer scientist. He is principally known for his work on the X.500, LDAP, and SNMP Internet protocols....
of Performance Systems International
PSINet
PSINet was one of the first internet service providers , based in Northern Virginia, and a major player in the commercialization of the Internet until the company's bankruptcy in 2001 during the dot-com bubble and acquisition by Cogent Communications in 2002.-Growth:PSINet was founded in 1989 by...
, authored the original LDAP protocol.
Products
Isode has four major product lines:- Directory servers.
- Messaging servers based on the SMTP, IMAP, POP3 protocols.
- Instant Messaging and Presence based on the XMPPExtensible Messaging and Presence ProtocolExtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
protocol. - Directory and messaging APIs.
Directory servers
M-Vault is an LDAP and X.500X.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...
compatible directory server
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...
.
Messaging servers
M-Switch SMTP is a MTAMail transfer agent
Within Internet message handling services , a message transfer agent or mail transfer agent or mail relay is software that transfers electronic mail messages from one computer to another using a client–server application architecture...
based on the SMTP protocol.
M-Switch X.400 is a MTA
Mail transfer agent
Within Internet message handling services , a message transfer agent or mail transfer agent or mail relay is software that transfers electronic mail messages from one computer to another using a client–server application architecture...
using the X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
protocol.
M-Box is a mail server, delivering mail using the IMAP and POP3 protocols.
M-Store is an X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
message store.
Instant Messaging
M-Link is an XMPPExtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol is an open-standard communications protocol for message-oriented middleware based on XML . The protocol was originally named Jabber, and was developed by the Jabber open-source community in 1999 for near-real-time, extensible instant messaging , presence...
Instant Messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
and Presence server.
APIs
Isode supplies three APIs:- A directory client API to enable applications to access a directory in order to perform authentication and to obtain configuration information.
- An X.400 Client API designed for use by vendors building X.400 client applications (this API was originally developed for AMHSAeronautical Message Handling SystemATS Message Handling System also known as Aeronautical Message Handling System is a standard for aeronautical ground-ground communications based on X.400 profiles...
applications). - An X.400X.400X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
gateway API for integrating X.400 messaging services with other messaging services.
Isode and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
Isode has a long history with the IETF and employees of Isode and its predecessor, the ISODE Consortium, have since 1993 authored or co-authored a number of Internet standards (RFCsRequest for Comments
In computer network engineering, a Request for Comments is a memorandum published by the Internet Engineering Task Force describing methods, behaviors, research, or innovations applicable to the working of the Internet and Internet-connected systems.Through the Internet Society, engineers and...
) with the company's support. These include RFCs covering LDAP, X.500, MIXER and IMAP.
| RFC | Title | Date published | Isode Contributing Author(s) | Obsoleted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFC 1430 | A Strategic Plan for Deploying an Internet X.500 Directory Service | February 1993 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1484 | Using the OSI Directory to achieve User Friendly Naming (OSI-DS 24 (v1.2)) | July 1993 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1485 | A String Representation of Distinguished Names (OSI-DS 23 (v5)) | July 1993 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1487 | X.500 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol | July 1993 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1495 | Mapping between X.400 and RFC-822 Message Bodies | August 1993 | Steve Kille | RFC 2156 |
| RFC 1565 | Network Services Monitoring MIB | January 1993 | Steve Kille | RFC 2248 |
| RFC 1566 | Mail Monitoring MIB | January 1993 | Steve Kille | RFC 2789 |
| RFC 1567 | X.500 Directory Monitoring MIB | March 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 2605 |
| RFC 1617 | Naming and Structuring Guidelines for X.500 Directory Pilots | May 1994 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1777 | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol | March 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 3494 |
| RFC 1778 | The String Representation of Standard Attribute Syntaxes | March 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 3494 |
| RFC 1779 | A String Representation of Distinguished Names | March 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 3494 |
| RFC 1801 | X.400-MHS use of the X.500 Directory to support X.400-MHS Routing | June 1995 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 1836 | Representing the O/R Address hierarchy in the X.500 Directory Information Tree | August 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 2294 |
| RFC 1837 | Representing Tables and Subtrees in the X.500 Directory | August 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 2293 |
| RFC 1838 | Use of the X.500 Directory to support mapping between X.400 and RFC 822 Addresses | August 1995 | Steve Kille | RFC 2164 |
| RFC 2156 | MIXER (Mime Internet X.400 Enhanced Relay): Mapping between X.400 and RFC 822/MIMEs | January 1998 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2164 | Use of an X.500/LDAP directory to support MIXER address mapping | January 1998 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2247 | Using Domains in LDAP/X.500 Distinguished Names | January 1998 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2248 | Network Services Monitoring MIB | January 1998 | Steve Kille | RFC 2278 |
| RFC 2251 | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (v3) | December 1997 | Steve Kille | RFC 4513 |
| RFC 2252 | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (v3): Attribute Syntax Definitions | December 1997 | Steve Kille | RFC 4523 |
| RFC 2253 | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (v3): UTF-8 String Representation of Distinguished Names | December 1997 | Steve Kille | RFC 4514 |
| RFC 2293 | Representing Tables and Subtrees in the X.500 Directory | March 1998 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2294 | Representing the O/R Address hierarchy in the X.500 Directory Information Tree | March 1998 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2605 | Directory Server Monitoring MIB | June 1999 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2788 | Network Services Monitoring MIB | March 2000 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 2789 | Mail Monitoring MIB | March 2000 | Steve Kille | |
| RFC 3691 | Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) UNSELECT command | February 2004 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4314 | IMAP4 Access Control List (ACL) Extension | December 2005 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4422 | Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) | June 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4466 | Collected Extensions to IMAP4 ABNF | April 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4549 | Synchronization Operations for Disconnected IMAP4 Clients | June 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4551 | IMAP Extension for Conditional STORE Operation or Quick Flag Changes Resynchronization | June 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4731 | IMAP4 Extension to SEARCH Command for Controlling What Kind of Information Is Returned | November 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4752 | The Kerberos V5 ("GSSAPI") Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL) Mechanism | November 2006 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 4954 | SMTP Service Extension for Authentication | July 2007 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 5020 | The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) entryDN Operational Attribute | August 2007 | Kurt Zeilenga | |
| RFC 5092 | IMAP URL Scheme | October 2007 | Alexey Melnikov | |
| RFC 5819 | IMAP4 Extension for Returning STATUS Information in Extended LIST | March 2010 | Alexey Melnikov | |