Appendix A. LDAP Data Interchange Format

4.2. Specifying Organizational Unit Entries

Organizational unit entries are often used to represent major branch points, or subdirectories, in the directory tree. They correspond to major, reasonably static entities within the enterprise, such as a subtree that contains people or a subtree that contains groups.

The organizational unit attribute that is contained in the entry may also represent a major organization within the company, such as marketing or engineering. However, this style is discouraged. Red Hat strongly encourages using a flat directory tree.

There is usually more than one organizational unit, or branch point, within a directory tree.

The LDIF that defines an organizational unit entry must appear as follows:

dn: distinguished_name

objectClass: top

objectClass: organizationalUnit

ou: organizational_unit_name

list_of_optional_attributes

...

The following is a sample organizational unit entry in LDIF format:

dn: ou=people, dc=example,dc=com

objectclass: top

objectclass: organizationalUnit

ou: people

description: Fictional example organizational unit

Table A.3, “LDIF Elements in Organizational Unit Entries” defines each element of the LDIF-formatted organizational unit entry.

LDIF Element

Description

 

 

dn: distinguished_name

Specifies the distinguished name for the

 

entry. A DN is required. If there is a comma in

 

the DN, the comma must be escaped with a

 

backslash (\), such as dn:

 

ou=people,dc=example,dc=com.

 

 

objectClass: top

Required. Specifies the top object class.

 

 

objectClass: organizationalUnit

Specifies the organizationalUnit object

 

class. This line defines the entry as an

 

organizational unit.

 

 

ou: organizational_unit_name

Attribute that specifies the organizational

 

unit's name.

 

 

list_of_attributes

Specifies the list of optional attributes to

 

maintain for the entry.

 

 

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HP UX Red Hat Direry Server Software manual Specifying Organizational Unit Entries