OpenLDAP Workshop

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Test and Try

Now you should gain some initial experience with the existing data in LDAP – first, with simple command-line tools, then with more convenient tools. An LDAP search using the command-line tools is tedious. In this example, the user uhabel logs on and looks for objects that have any object class. The result will be all objects of the LDAP server, because each object must at least have an object class:

$ ldapsearch -D uid=uhabel,ou=people,dc=acme-services,dc=org -W -x'(objectClass=*)'

After entering the password, all entries are listed. The user password attribute is only displayed for user uhabel; it remains hidden for the other users. In principle, it is possible to output each node in the tree with a search and then to modify the results with a matching LDIF file. However, this procedure is very time consuming; therefore, different user tools have become established.

Elegant Command Line

The ldapvi [1] command-line tool connects the LDAP search with the vi editor, thus supporting simple changes. When you save and quit the editor, an LDIF file is created and then applied.

The ldapvi tool's command-line options are similar to those of openldap-client, which I already looked at:

$ ldapvi -D cn=Manager,dc=acme-services,dc=org -b dc=acme-services,dc=org -h ldapi://

The preceding command queries the directory tree and presents the results in the editor (Figure 3). This approach allows you to edit entries elegantly and quickly on a remote SSH console.

Figure 3: ldapvi, an elegant command-line tool.

Apache Directory Studio

Apache Directory Studio [2] is a graphical client built on the Eclipse framework (Figure 4). Because of the Eclipse platform, the client computer definitely needs a few megabytes of memory. Although stability is questionable, Directory Studio has carved its own niche.

Figure 4: Graphical interface for LDAP: Apache Directory Studio.

Administrators who want to develop their own schemas have no way around this tool. The main advantage, in addition to the graphical interface, is support for all imaginable situations in the life of an LDAP administrator.

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