also be used (either successively or simultaneously) within a
       single communications association.

2. GSSAPI Routines

   This section lists the functions performed by each of the GSSAPI
   routines and discusses their major parameters, describing how they
   are to be passed to the routines.  The routines are listed in figure
   4-1.





 
RFC 1509            GSSAPI - Overview and C bindings      September 1993


                      Figure 4-1  GSSAPI Routines


            Routine                               Function

            gss_acquire_cred               Assume a global identity

            gss_release_cred               Discard credentials

            gss_init_sec_context           Initiate a security context
                                           with a peer application

            gss_accept_sec_context         Accept a security context
                                           initiated by a peer
                                           application

            gss_process_context_token      Process a token on a security
                                           context from a peer
                                           application

            gss_delete_sec_context         Discard a security context

            gss_context_time               Determine for how long a
                                           context will remain valid

            gss_sign                       Sign a message; integrity
                                           service

            gss_verify                     Check signature on a message

            gss_seal                       Sign (optionally encrypt) a
                                           message; confidentiality
                                           service

            gss_unseal                     Verify (optionally decrypt)
                                           message

            gss_display_status             Convert an API status code
                                           to text

            gss_indicate_mechs             Determine underlying
                                           authentication mechanism

            gss_compare_name               Compare two internal-form
                                           names

            gss_display_name               Convert opaque name to text





 
RFC 1509            GSSAPI - Overview and C bindings      September 1993


            gss_import_name                Convert a textual name to
                                           internal-form

            gss_release_name               Discard an internal-form
                                           name

            gss_release_buffer             Discard a buffer

            gss_release_oid_set            Discard a set of object
                                           identifiers

            gss_inquire_cred               Determine information about
                                           a credential

   Individual GSSAPI implementations may augment these routines by
   providing additional mechanism-specific routines if required
   functionality is not available from the generic forms.  Applications
   are encouraged to use the generic routines wherever possible on
   portability grounds.

2.1. Data Types and Calling Conventions

   The following conventions are used by the GSSAPI:

2.1.1. Structured data types