About Directory Server Resource Kit

This section provides an overview of Directory Server Resource Kit components.

Directory Server Resource Kit gives you tools for working with directory services in the laboratory, during deployment, and in the data center.

Directory Subtree Deletion

Use the ldapsubtdel(1) tool to delete an entire directory subtree over LDAP with one command.

DSML v2 Access

Use the following tools to test directory access through DSML v2 when designing, developing, and testing web applications:

• The dsmlmodify(1) command to add, delete, modify, rename, and move entries

• The dsmlsearch(1) command to find and read entries

LDAP Performance Measurements

Use the following tools to measure bind, read, and write performance when accessing the directory over LDAP:

• The authrate(1) command to measure LDAP bind performance

• The modrate(1) command to measure LDAP write performance

• The searchrate(1) command to measure LDAP read performance

LDIF Generation and Transformation

Use the following tools to generate sample LDIF for sizing and tuning. Use the tools also to transform, sort, and filter LDIF for interoperability:

• The ldifxform(1) command to transform, sort, and filter LDIF

• The makeldif(1) command to generate sample LDIF

Service Tuning

Use the logconv(1) command to examine how clients use directory services and to generate recommendations for indexing.

You can decide to set up and run Directory Server Resource Kit tools on the same system as your directory server, or on another system. The decision depends on your work environment. The decision also depends on the stage of deployment you have reached. The following questions and answers help you decide where to use Directory Server Resource Kit.

Are you working to evaluate or to demonstrate directory technology prior to developing directory services?

For convenience, install and use Directory Server Resource Kit on the same system as your directory.

Are you working to develop directory client applications or plug-ins?

For convenience, install and use Directory Server Resource Kit on the same system as your directory.

Are you working to test directory performance characteristics?

The only command that you must run on the system that provides directory services is the idsktune command, which generates system-specific tuning recommendations.

Avoid perturbing the system that you measure by installing Directory Server Resource Kit and running commands, except for idsktune, on other systems.

Get accurate directory performance measurements by running clients such as authrate, modrate, and searchrate on separate systems. You can improve accuracy by carefully controlling the processes that run on the system you measure. You can also improve accuracy by controlling the sample data that you store in the directory. You can generate controlled data with makeldif.

Have you already deployed your directory into the data center?

Avoid perturbing the deployed system by installing Directory Server Resource Kit and running commands on other systems.

Run analysis with logconv, LDIF conversions with ldifxform, and other operations from other systems as well.