Important lessons derived from X.500 case studies

X.500 is a new and complex electronic directory technology that is still unproven in many organizations. The author presents case studies of 15 pioneering pilot and operational X.500 based directory services, and provides valuable insights into how organizations are coming to understand this new technology and derive benefits from it. The case studies presented cover a reasonably broad spectrum of organizations, including computer suppliers, government organizations, universities, and research institutes, as well as the UK and US defense community. Some of the factors that were critical to the success of the X.500 projects studied are identified.