Symas OpenLDAP Knowledge Base

LDIF - LDAP Data Interchange Format

Is a standard plain text data interchange format for representing LDAP directory content as a set of records, one record for each object (or entry).

LDIF is meant to be able to describe any entry within an LDAP system, as well as any modification that must take place.

LDIF fields

DN
Distinguished Name - This refers to the name that uniquely identifies an entry in the directory
DC
Domain Component - This refers to each component on the domain. For example www.symas.com would be written as DC=www,DC=symas,DC=com

DC is only a tradition, a ???. And mirroring the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for the base domain is commonly used using DC. The RFCs do not define a “D” (Domain) objectClass. It could be defined in customer schema and values like “example.com” (a DN string, a well known attribute type) could be used. Being something of a rebel, I (Marty) set up my suffix with things like organization=symas corp.

OU
Organizational Unit - This refers to the organization unit(or sometimes the user group) that the user is part of. If the user is part of more than one group, you may specify as such. Example: OU=Engineer,OU=Manager
CN
Common Name - This refers to the individual object (person’s name; meeting room; job title; etc.) for whom/which you are querying.

CN MAY be the Relative Distinguished Name (RDN) by which the entry is commonly known. When the entry is created, the RDN is the left-most part as in cn=bowser,dc=example,dc=com where the RDN is cn=bowser. Other attributes (attribute names MAY actually be used in an RDN).

LDIF for Adding an Entry

LDIF for Modifying an Exiting Entry

Modifications, including adding entries in the middle of a stream of LDIF modifications, are done based on a changetype pseudo-attribute. There are several values for the changetype:

  • add - the entry will be added. If it is there, the operation will fail.
  • modify - the entry will be modified, possibly modified by more detailed directions.
  • delete - the entry (or attribute(s))
  • replace - applies to the following attribute(s)

Using switches to modify, add and removed entries using LDIF

changetype: add

Example: to add a user entry:

    dn: uid=jsmith1,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
    changetype: add
    objectClass: inetOrgPerson
    description: John Smith from Accounting.  John is the project manager of the building project, so contact him with any questions.
    cn: John Smith
    sn: Smith
    uid: jsmith1

changetype: modify

dn: uid=sbrown20, ou=People,dc=example,dc=com changetype: modify add: mail mail: sbrown@example.com

This entry will attribute_type mail to the current specified user account

changetype: delete
    Example: 
        dn: ou=othergroup,dc=example,dc=com

changetype: delete

    This will remove the ou=othergroup

changetype: modify
    
    replace:
    delete:
    
    Example:
        dn: uid=sbrown20,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
        changetype: modify
        replace: mail
        mail: sbrown2@example.com
    
    This entry will replace email address of the user account.
    
        dn: uid=jsmith1,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
        changetype: modify
        delete: mail
        mail: sbrown2@example.com
    
    This modification will remove email specified
        

changetype: modrdn
    Example:
        dn: uid=sbrown20,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
        changetype: modrdn
        newrdn: uid=sbrown200
        deleteoldrdn: 0

This will entry will rename the uid:sbrown20 to sbrown200. Leaving deleteoldrdn to 0 will not remove the old UID but switching to 1 will remove the old attribute.

Example:

dn: ou=superusers,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: add
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: superusers

dn: uid=sbrown2,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modrdn
newrdn: uid=sbrown2
deleteoldrdn: 0
newsuperior: ou=superusers,dc=example,dc=com

The first set changes will create the new OU superusers. In the second entry, it moves sbrown2 to the new created OU superusers

If need to add an image or audio file to user account use the following:

Example:

dn: uid=jsmith1,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
add: jpegPhoto
jpegPhoto:< file:///tmp/john.jpg

Example:

dn: uid=jsmith1,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
add: audio
audio:< file:///tmp/hellojohn.mp3