Re: [LDAP] How to organise the database?

[Lasse Hillerøe Petersen <lassehp@imv.aau.dk>]

At 18:19 +0100 09/02/1999, Nico De Ranter wrote:
>Howdy,
>
>I've just setup a local ldap server to experiment with but I'm
>a little confused about the information I can put into an ldap server.
>
>I believe the information in the ldap database is organised in
>a tree structure, right?  Ifso, how can I define the layout of
>this structure (which attributes go where and at what level) ?
>Can I decide on this structure myself or should I adhere to some
>predefined hierarchy if I want to use my LDAP server from a mail-client.
>In other words: how does f.i. netscape find out where to get the information
>I'm looking for?
>
>Is there any document describing how to organise the data in the
>database?  I searched the web for it but couldn't find anything about
>the content of the LDAP server  (except for the RFC's but I would
>really prefer something else if possible).

I have collected a few good URLS on LDAP:

IBM Redbook:Understanding LDAP
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/SG244986/4986fm1.htm#htmltop
Netscape Directory Server deployment guide
<"http://home.netscape.com/eng/server/directory/3.0/deploy/contents.html";>
Jeff Hodges LDAP roadmap <http://www.kingsmountain.com/ldapRoadmap.shtml>

(Just to mention a couple of the best to get you started.)

My understanding of LDAP is still limited, but I believe Netscape (and
probably other mail clients) uses the (coming standard?) schema for
inetOrgPerson, which I only found referred to in RFC 2377 when I tried
searching for it. I believe it is also mentioned in the original U.Michigan
SLAPD manual.

The mail client (Netscape) simply searches specific attributes (from the
inetOrgPerson schema) for your criteria, and gets matching objects back.

-Lasse