RFC 7643, "System for Cross-domain Identity Management: Core Schema", September 2015

Note: This RFC has been updated by RFC 9865, RFC 9967

Errata ID: 8280
Status: Held for Document Update
Type: Technical
Publication Format(s) : TEXT
Reported By: Matthias Winter
Date Reported: 2025-02-05
Held for Document Update by: Deb Cooley
Date Held: 2025-12-28

Section 1.1 says:

---- Section 1.1 ----
   The key words "REQUIRED" and "OPTIONAL" are used throughout this
   document to indicate whether an attribute or schema element is
   required or optional.  These key words may be used alone (e.g.,
   "REQUIRED.") or in a sentence.  If not specified, an attribute is
   considered to be optional.

---- Section 2.2 ----
   o  "required" is "false" (i.e., not REQUIRED),

It should say:

---- Section 1.1 ----
   The key words "REQUIRED" and "OPTIONAL" are used throughout this
   document to indicate whether an attribute or schema element is
   required to have a value or not.  These key words may be used alone (e.g.,
   "REQUIRED.") or in a sentence.  If not specified, an attribute value is
   considered to be optional.

---- Section 2.2 ----
   o  "required" is "false",

Notes:

There are three ways in which an attribute can be required. The correction makes clear which one is meant.

1) Support is REQUIRED: It must be possible that the attribute has a value, i.e. it cannot be omitted from the schema.
2) A value is REQUIRED: The server must make sure that the attribute always has a value.
3) The attribute characteristic "required" is set to "true": If an attribute is "required", clients MUST specify the attribute in the PUT request. [RFC7644]

Analogous interpretations are possible for OPTIONAL.

While almost all usages of REQUIRED and OPTIONAL are compatible to the second interpretation, one usage in section 2.2 clearly refers to the third one and should be removed.

Report New Errata