Guidelines for Defining Directories by Using LDIF

Follow these guidelines to create a directory by using LDIF.

• Create an ASCII file that contains the entries you want to add in LDIF format.

• Separate entries with a single empty line. Do not allow the first line of the file to be blank, otherwise the ldapmodify command will exit.

• Begin each file with the topmost, or root, entry in the database. The root entry must represent the suffix or sub-suffix contained by the database. For example, if your database has the suffix dc=example,dc=com, the first entry in the directory must be

  dn: dc=example,dc=com

• Create the branch point for a subtree before you create entries to go in the subtree.

• Create the directory from the LDIF file by using one of the following methods:

  • By using the Directory Service Control Center

  • By using the dsadm command and dsconf command

  • By using theldapmodify command with the -a option or -B option

  Create the directory by using ldapmodify command if you currently have a directory database but you are adding a new subtree to the database. Unlike the other methods for creating the directory from an LDIF file, Directory Server must be running before you can add a subtree by using the ldapmodify command.

The following example shows an LDIF file with one organization entry, two organizational unit entries, and three organizational person entries.

Example 4–2 Example LDIF File With Entries for Organization, Organizational Units, and Organizational Person

dn: o=example.com Corp
objectclass: top
objectclass: organization
o: example.com Corp
description: Fictional organization for example purposes
dn: ou=People,o=example.com Corp
objectclass: top
objectclass: organizationalUnit
ou: People
description: Fictional organizational unit for example purposes
tel: 555-5559

dn: cn=June Rossi,ou=People,o=example.com Corp
objectClass: top
objectClass: person
objectClass: organizationalPerson
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
cn: June Rossi
sn: Rossi
givenName: June
mail: rossi@example.com
userPassword: {sha}KDIE3AL9DK
ou: Accounting
ou: people
telephoneNumber: 2616
roomNumber: 220

dn: cn=Marc Chambers,ou=People,o=example.com Corp
objectClass: top
objectClass: person
objectClass: organizationalPerson
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
cn: Marc Chambers
sn: Chambers
givenName: Marc
mail: chambers@example.com
userPassword: {sha}jdl2alem87dlacz1
telephoneNumber: 2652
ou: Manufacturing
ou: People
roomNumber: 167

dn: cn=Robert Wong,ou=People,o=example.com Corp
objectClass: top
objectClass: person
objectClass: organizationalPerson
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
cn: Robert Wong
cn: Bob Wong
sn: Wong
givenName: Robert
givenName: Bob
mail: bwong@example.com
userPassword: {sha}nn2msx761
telephoneNumber: 2881
roomNumber: 211
ou: Manufacturing
ou: people

dn: ou=Groups,o=example.com Corp
objectclass: top
objectclass: organizationalUnit
ou: groups
description: Fictional organizational unit for example purposes