HP UX Identity Security Software manual Directory Server configuration

1 Introduction

The HP-UX Directory Server is based on an open-systems server protocol called the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). The Directory Server is a robust, scalable server designed to manage large scale directories to support an enterprise-wide directory of users and resources, extranets, and e-commerce applications over the Internet. The Directory Server runs as the ns-slapdprocess or service on the machine. The server manages the directory databases and responds to client requests.

This reference covers the server configuration and the command-line utilities. It is designed primarily for directory administrators and experienced directory users who want to use the command-line to access the directory. After configuring the server, use this reference to help maintain it.

The Directory Server can also be managed through the Directory Server Console, a graphical user interface. The HP-UX Directory Server administrator guide describes how to do this and explains individual administration tasks more fully.

The major components of Directory Server include:

•An LDAP server

The LDAP v3-compliant network daemon.

•Directory Server Console

A graphical management console that dramatically reduces the effort of setting up and maintaining your directory service.

•SNMP agent

Can monitor the Directory Server using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

•Administration Server

Required for managing the Directory Server using the Directory Server Console.

1.1Directory Server configuration

The format and method for storing configuration information for Directory Server and a listing for all server attributes are found in two chapters, Chapter 2 “Core server configuration reference” and Chapter 3 “Plug-in implemented server functionality reference”.

1.2 Directory Server instance file reference

Chapter 4 “Server instance file reference” has an overview of the files and configuration information stored in each instance of Directory Server. This reference helps administrators understand the changes or absence of changes in the course of directory activity. From a security standpoint, this also helps users detect errors and intrusion by highlighting normal changes and abnormal behavior.

1.3 Using Directory Server command-line utilities

Directory Server comes with a set of configurable command-line utilities that can search and modify entries in the directory and administer the server. Chapter 6 “Command-line utilities” describes these command-line utilities and contains information on where the utilities are stored and how to access them. In addition to these command-line utilities, Directory Server also provides ns-slapdcommand-line utilities for performing directory operations, as described in Appendix A “Using the ns-slapdcommand-line utilities”.

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