For a comprehensive introduction to the X.500 Online Directory, you
may want to read the 'Online Directory Services -- X.500 User Directory
Overview'. This document covers the following areas:
The F.A.Q. includes answers to the following questions:
(For a short cut to the individual answers, simply click on the question you
have rather than having to scroll through the entire document!)
Q1: Where's the documentation for using X.500?
A: Document number R1124, "Online Directory Services - X.500 User
Overview" is the best place to start. It is available online at:
Many of the following questions are answered in that document. It is also recommended that you go to the ITD Online Documentation page and search for 'X.500'. You will find references to further documentation and QuickNotes.
Use the ITD Online Documentation service. It is your friend.
Q2: How are uniqnames added to X.500 entries?
A: Every person in X.500 has their University ID number listed in their entry. Uniqnames for each person are stored on the uniqname server by ID number. At certain times, a program on the uniqnameserver runs that will search through X.500 for each ID number. When a matching entry is found, the uniqname and Kerberos name (yourUniqname@umich.edu and sometimes yourUniqname@engin.umich.edu) are added to the entry.
If no X.500 entry is found that matches a given ID number, the uniqname server will wait a longer time before trying to update X.500 entries with that uniqname again.
Q3: Why do uniqnames disappear from X.500 entries?
A: This is usually because the X.500 entry has a new University ID number associated with it, while the uniqname server still has the uniqname stored under the old ID number. When the uniqname server runs its X.500 updating program, if no matching X.500 entries are found, the program will then look for the uniqname in other entries. If found, the uniqname is removed.
This situation is common for foreign students who get a temporary ID number (one that begins with "000") and later get a new ID. The people in charge of the uniqname servers are working to get accurate ID number changes from the ID card people to update uniqnames and pass on to the X.500 servers. Hopefully this will keep the X.500 and uniqname servers more in sync to avoid this problem.
Q4: How does one get an X.500 entry?
A: Students and members of Faculty or Staff will automatically get X.500 entries as soon as the Registrar or Personnel sends their periodic update data to the X.500 group. Personnel does that once a month, usually during the second week of the month. The Registrar sends data several times per term, very frequently during the first month, then less frequently later in the term. The X.500 servers are usually updated the weekend after the data is received.
The other way one can get an X.500 entry is by contacting the ITD Accounts Office (itd.accounts.office@umich.edu or 764-8000). The Accounts Office will need to know the person's real name, uniqname, University ID number, and affiliation with the University. The Accounts Office can also create uniqnames.
Q5: Why do X.500 entries change every so often?
A: During the periodic X.500 updates with data from the Registrar and Personnel, existing X.500 entries are modified to match the data. The parts of the entries changed are the names, addresses, phone numbers, and titles. Sometimes people are surprised to see modifications they made to their X.500 entry are undone after a while. However, people can mark their entries not to be updated and avoid this problem.
In maX.500, one would look up their entry and press the button marked "No Updates...". A dialog box will explain that unless they check the checkbox, their names, addresses, phone numbers, and titles will be updated from Registrar or Personnel data.
A: The best way to create a group is to use maX.500. From the "File" menu, select "New Entry...". Select "Group" from the dialog box and enter a name for the group. (See the question below about changing group names for a tip on selecting names.) When the group is displayed, members can be added, and other attributes can be changed. When finished modifying the group, select "Save" from the "File" menu.
Q7: How do I remove a nonexistent person from a group?
A: When a person's entry is removed from X.500, references to that person are not removed. A nonexistent member of a group could cause error messages when sending to the group. The best way to remove such members is to view the group with maX.500 and press the "Verify . . ." button next to the list of group members. A dialog box will give several options for what to do when an invalid member is found. Select the options you'd like and start the verification. When done, select "Save" from the "File" menu to save any changes to the group.
Q8: How do I add or change names listed in my X.500 entry?
A: To add a nickname (or alias) to your personal entry, you must send email to x500-nicknames@umich.edu. In the message, include your name as listed in X.500, your uniqname, your University ID number, and the desired nickname.
There are restrictions on nicknames, though. The Registrar and Personnel have requested that X.500 be an 'official' directory. Therefore, nicknames must consist of two or more names. The last name will be your real last name and the other names should be some form of your first and/or middle names. No 'pet' names are allowed. Other possible nicknames include maiden names or previous names if you've recently changed your name.
If you've recently changed your name, during the next update, your new name should replace your old name in your entry, as long as you notified the Registrar or Personnel before they sent in their update data. If you find that this is not the case, you should send email to x500-nicknames@umich.edu. In the message, include your name as listed in X.500, your uniqname, your University ID number, and your new name.
Q9: How do I add or change the names of a group?
A: To add or change names of a group, view the group with maX.500 and modify the names as you'd like. Be sure the save the group when done. There are two exceptions:
1. If possible, you should avoid using names that consist of only 3 to 8 alphanumeric characters because that name could be a uniqname. If a person has a uniqname that matches your group name, mail sent to that name will go to the person rather than the group.
2. The first name listed for a group is the name originally given to the group when it was created. This name is part of 'key' the group is stored under and cannot be changed. If you really need to change that name, the only way to do it is to create a new group with the desired name. You can then use the Mac cut and paste features to copy the other attributes from the old group to the new group. Save the new group and delete the old group.
A: You can't. Due to the volume of X.500 entries, it is not possible to keep it all backed up someplace. The best way to avoid such tragedies is to periodically copy the information from your group to a file. To do that, view your group with maX.500 and use the Mac cut and paste features to copy the various attributes into the editor of your choice. Save the editor file in a safe place. If something ever happens to your group, you can recreate it by copying the information from the file you made to the group.
Q11: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A: 42. Don't panic.
Q12: I was modifying a group and I somehow made myself no longer the owner of it. How can I fix it?
A: If there are other owners of the group, ask one of them to add you as the owner. They should do this by viewing the group in maX.500 and pressing the "Add..." button next to the owner listing.
If there are no other group owners that can help you, the only other solution to this problem is to send mail to x500-support@umich.edu. In the message, include your name as listed in X.500, your uniqname, your University ID number, and the name of the group that you should be the owner of.
A: The best way would be to send mail to the people responsible for the group. Try the addresses groupname-owner@umich.edu and groupname-requests@umich.edu. Explain to them that you do not want to be part of the group.
If the owner does not remove you from the group, you should send email to x500-support@umich.edu. In the message, include your name as listed in X.500, your uniqname, your University ID number, and the name of the group you want to be removed from.
If you find the owner of the group to be troublesome, you may also want to contact the ITD User Advocate. Send email to itd.user.advocate@umich.edu.
Q14. How is mail delivered through X.500?
A. Messages are received by sendmail on the X.500 servers. If the address of the recipients contains '@umich.edu', sendmail passes the message to mail500. mail500 looks up the real addresses of the recipients and passes the message back to sendmail with these new addresses. The cycle repeats if any of the new addresses are addressed "@umich.edu".
Q15. How does group moderation work?
A. When a group has one or more addresses in the "Moderated by" field, mail500 compares the address in the "envelope form" (or RFC821 form) on in incoming messages to these addresses. If the addresses do not match, the message is from the moderator and the message is sent to the members of the group.
Q16. What address should I put in the "Moderated by" field?
A. Determining what address to put in the "Moderated by" field is not always easy. Sometimes a person's envelope form address is not the same as the address the person receives mail at. Some mail clients do not show you what's in the envelope form. To help users determine what address they should use in the "Moderated by" field, we have set up an autoreply service that they can send mail to. Simply send a message to my.address@umich.edu and you will get a message back telling you what to use as your moderator.
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