HP-UX Directory Server 8.1 configuration, command, and file reference

1 Introduction
The HP-UX Directory Server is based on an open-systems server protocol called the Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). The Directory Server is a robust, scalable server designed to
manage large scale directories to support an enterprise-wide directory of users and resources,
extranets, and e-commerce applications over the Internet. The Directory Server runs as the
ns-slapd process or service on the machine. The server manages the directory databases and
responds to client requests.
This reference covers the server configuration and the command-line utilities. It is designed
primarily for directory administrators and experienced directory users who want to use the
command-line to access the directory. After configuring the server, use this reference to help
maintain it.
The Directory Server can also be managed through the Directory Server Console, a graphical
user interface. The HP-UX Directory Server administrator guide describes how to do this and
explains individual administration tasks more fully.
The major components of Directory Server include:
• An LDAP server
The LDAP v3-compliant network daemon.
• Directory Server Console
A graphical management console that dramatically reduces the effort of setting up and
maintaining your directory service.
• SNMP agent
Can monitor the Directory Server using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
• Administration Server
Required for managing the Directory Server using the Directory Server Console.
1.1 Directory Server configuration
The format and method for storing configuration information for Directory Server and a listing
for all server attributes are found in two chapters, Chapter 2 “Core server configuration reference”
and Chapter 3 “Plug-in implemented server functionality reference”.
1.2 Directory Server instance file reference
Chapter 4 “Server instance file reference” has an overview of the files and configuration
information stored in each instance of Directory Server. This reference helps administrators
understand the changes or absence of changes in the course of directory activity. From a security
standpoint, this also helps users detect errors and intrusion by highlighting normal changes and
abnormal behavior.
1.3 Using Directory Server command-line utilities
Directory Server comes with a set of configurable command-line utilities that can search and
modify entries in the directory and administer the server. Chapter 6 “Command-line utilities”
describes these command-line utilities and contains information on where the utilities are stored
and how to access them. In addition to these command-line utilities, Directory Server also provides
ns-slapd command-line utilities for performing directory operations, as described in
Appendix A “Using the ns-slapd command-line utilities”.
1.1 Directory Server configuration 15