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| 155 | =head2 ASN.1/BER/DER/... BASICS |
155 | =head2 ASN.1/BER/DER/... BASICS |
| 156 | |
156 | |
| 157 | ASN.1 is a strange language that can be used to describe protocols and |
157 | ASN.1 is a strange language that can be used to describe protocols and |
| 158 | data structures. It supports various mappings to JSON, XML, but most |
158 | data structures. It supports various mappings to JSON, XML, but most |
| 159 | importantly, to a various binary encodings such as BER, that is the topic |
159 | importantly, to a various binary encodings such as BER, that is the topic |
| 160 | of this module, and is used in SNMP or LDAP for example. |
160 | of this module, and is used in SNMP, LDAP or X.509 for example. |
| 161 | |
161 | |
| 162 | While ASN.1 defines a schema that is useful to interpret encoded data, |
162 | While ASN.1 defines a schema that is useful to interpret encoded data, |
| 163 | the BER encoding is actually somewhat self-describing: you might not know |
163 | the BER encoding is actually somewhat self-describing: you might not know |
| 164 | whether something is a string or a number or a sequence or something else, |
164 | whether something is a string or a number or a sequence or something else, |
| 165 | but you can nevertheless decode the overall structure, even if you end up |
165 | but you can nevertheless decode the overall structure, even if you end up |
