Binding to the Directory

Depending on the access control rules defined for the directory, for certain operations, you need to bind to the directory. Binding means authenticating yourself by providing your DN and password. This process determines the permission level you are granted for the duration of the connection.

For example, with the default set of access control rules, you have write permission to your password in your directory entry. When you bind with the DN and password of an entry, you are identified by the keyword self for that entry. With an anonymous bind, you have search, and read permissions for all entries and attributes except the password attribute, for which you have compare permission. These are the permissions granted to users identified by the keyword everyone or *.