This Recommendation | International Standard defines a number of object classes and name forms which may be found useful across a range of applications of the Directory. The definition of an object class involves listing a number of attribute types which are relevant to objects of that class. The definition of a name form involves naming the object class to which it applies and listing the attributes to be used in forming names for objects of that class. These definitions are used by the administrative authority which is responsible for the management of the directory information.

Any administrative authority can define its own object classes or subclasses and name forms for any purpose.

NOTE 1 – Those definitions may or may not use the notation specified in Rec. ITU-T X.501 | ISO/IEC 9594-2.

NOTE 2 – It is recommended that an object class defined in this Recommendation | International Standard, or a subclass derived from one, or a name form defined in this Recommendation | International Standard, be used in preference to the generation of a new one, whenever the semantics is appropriate for the application.

Administrative authorities may support some or all the selected object classes and name forms, and may also add additional ones.

All administrative authorities shall support the object classes which the directory uses for its own purpose (the top, alias and Directory system agent (DSA) object classes).