Initializing a Suffix

Initializing a suffix overwrites the existing data in a suffix with the contents of an LDIF file that contains only entries for addition.

You must be authenticated as the Directory Manager or an Administrator to initialize a suffix.

When the server is running, only the Directory Manager and Administrators can import an LDIF file that contains a root entry. For security reasons, only these users have access to the root entry of a suffix, for example, dc=example,dc=com..

Before restoring suffixes involved in replication agreements, read Restoring Replicated Suffixes.

To Initialize a Suffix

All LDIF files that you import must use UTF-8 character-set encoding.

When initializing a suffix, the LDIF file must contain the root entry and all directory tree nodes of the corresponding suffix.

You can use DSCC to perform this task. For information, see Directory Service Control Center Interface and the DSCC online help.

1. Use one of the following commands to initialize the suffix from an LDIF file, that is, import the contents of a database to an LDIF file.

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   Caution –

   These commands overwrite the data in your suffix.

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   • If your server is local and stopped, type:

     $ dsadm import instance-path LDIF-file suffix-DN

     The following example uses the dsadm import command to import two LDIF files into a single suffix:

     $ dsadm import /local/ds /local/file/example/demo1.ldif \ /local/file/example/demo2.ldif dc=example,dc=com

   • If your server is remote and running, type:

     $ dsconf import -h host -p port LDIF-file suffix-DN

     The following example imports an LDIF file using dsconf import. You do not need root privileges to run the command, but you must authenticate as a user with root permissions, such as the Directory Manager.

     $ dsconf import -h host1 -p 1389 /local/file/example/demo1.ldif \ ou=People,dc=example,dc=com

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   Note –

   If you run either dsconf import or dsconf reindex or both commands on multiple suffixes in parallel, transaction logs will grow and might negatively affect performance.

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   For more information on these commands, see the dsadm(1M) and dsconf(1M)man pages.