Overview
This lecture introduces the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), focusing on its role in directory services and the structure of LDAP entries.
LDAP and Directory Services
- LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and is used to access directory services over a network.
- Active Directory and OpenLDAP are two common directory services that utilize LDAP.
- LDAP allows you to perform operations such as adding, deleting, and modifying entries in a directory server database.
LDAP Entry Structure
- An LDAP entry represents a record describing an object within the directory.
- Each LDAP entry has a unique Distinguished Name (DN) used to identify it.
- Entries consist of attributes (like CN, OU, DC) paired with their respective values.
- CN (Common Name) typically refers to the object’s name, such as a person's name.
- OU (Organizational Unit) represents a group or department in the organization.
- DC (Domain Component) refers to parts of the domain name, such as 'example' and 'com' in example.com.
Key Terms & Definitions
- LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) — a protocol used to access and manage directory services over a network.
- Directory Service — software that stores, organizes, and provides access to information in a directory.
- Entry — a record in a directory service representing an object (like a user or device).
- Distinguished Name (DN) — a unique identifier for each LDAP entry.
- Attribute — a field describing a property of an entry, paired with a value.
- CN (Common Name) — an attribute indicating the name of an object.
- OU (Organizational Unit) — an attribute denoting the object's group or department.
- DC (Domain Component) — an attribute representing segments of the domain name.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the upcoming reading to reference LDAP attribute details.