Difference between revisions of "LDAP"

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(Some reorganization and added some important info)
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We are running an LDAP server on Einstein. This server serves up the user information (passwd and shadow) and also lists of servers and workstations which tie into various permission schemes. The overall setup seems somewhat complicated at first, so this documentation is '''much needed'''.
 
We are running an LDAP server on Einstein. This server serves up the user information (passwd and shadow) and also lists of servers and workstations which tie into various permission schemes. The overall setup seems somewhat complicated at first, so this documentation is '''much needed'''.
 
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== Organization ==
These are some random notes, until we can organize this better:
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LDAP runs on einstein. For passwords and such it is protected with TSL encryption. (See [[Certificates]].) The certificate is valid for einstein.unh.edu and einstein.farm.physics.unh.edu.
 
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== Troubleshooting ==
* LDAP runs on einstein. For passwords and such it is protected with TSL encryption. (See [[Certificates]] The certificate is valid for einstein.unh.edu and einstein.farm.physics.unh.edu. However, if your node has a bad system time, the certificate may look like it is from the future and will not be accepted. So check system time if users cannot log in.
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The best way to check whether LDAP is working is ''getent passwd'', which should show user passwords. If it does not work, then ''ldapsearch -ZZ '(uid=silas)' '' may give more diagnostics. Try 'ldapsearch -x '(uid=silas)' '' to test LDAP without using the encruption layer.
* The best way to check whether LDAP is working is ''getent passwd'', which should show user passwords. If it does not work, then ''ldapsearch -ZZ '(uid=silas)' '' may give more diagnostics. Try 'ldapsearch -x '(uid=silas)' '' to test LDAP without using the encruption layer.
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However, if your node has a bad system time, the certificate may look like it is from the future and will not be accepted. So check system time if users cannot log in.
* You configure LDAP in '''two locations''': /etc/ldap.conf and /etc/openldap/ldap.conf. Here you set the host that is serving the information.
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== Configuration ==
 
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For clients, configuration for LDAP is in '''two locations''': /etc/ldap.conf and /etc/openldap/ldap.conf. Here you set the host that is serving the information. Also, ldap must be referenced in /etc/nsswitch.conf like so:
Some outside web pages for more info:
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<pre>passwd:    files ldap
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shadow:    files ldap
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group:     files ldap</pre>
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(Those '''may not''' be the only entries requiring a reference to ldap.)
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== External Information ==
 
* [http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-8.0-Manual/ref-guide/s1-ldap-pam.html  Setup information]
 
* [http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-8.0-Manual/ref-guide/s1-ldap-pam.html  Setup information]
 
* [http://www.openldap.org/doc/admin23/ OpenLDAP Software 2.3 Administrator's Guide]  
 
* [http://www.openldap.org/doc/admin23/ OpenLDAP Software 2.3 Administrator's Guide]  
 
* [http://www.openldap.org/faq/data/cache/1.html  OpenLDAP Faq-O-Matic]
 
* [http://www.openldap.org/faq/data/cache/1.html  OpenLDAP Faq-O-Matic]

Revision as of 13:20, 6 June 2007

We are running an LDAP server on Einstein. This server serves up the user information (passwd and shadow) and also lists of servers and workstations which tie into various permission schemes. The overall setup seems somewhat complicated at first, so this documentation is much needed.

Organization

LDAP runs on einstein. For passwords and such it is protected with TSL encryption. (See Certificates.) The certificate is valid for einstein.unh.edu and einstein.farm.physics.unh.edu.

Troubleshooting

The best way to check whether LDAP is working is getent passwd, which should show user passwords. If it does not work, then ldapsearch -ZZ '(uid=silas)' may give more diagnostics. Try 'ldapsearch -x '(uid=silas)' to test LDAP without using the encruption layer. However, if your node has a bad system time, the certificate may look like it is from the future and will not be accepted. So check system time if users cannot log in.

Configuration

For clients, configuration for LDAP is in two locations: /etc/ldap.conf and /etc/openldap/ldap.conf. Here you set the host that is serving the information. Also, ldap must be referenced in /etc/nsswitch.conf like so:

passwd:     files ldap
shadow:     files ldap
group:      files ldap

(Those may not be the only entries requiring a reference to ldap.)

External Information