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Labs

Migrating Linux Users to an LDAP Directory

In this lab, we go through the process of adding a Linux user and then using a migrate utility to create an LDIF file that facilitates the use of the `ldapadd` command to add the user to an LDAP directory.

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Lab platform
Lab Info
Level
Beginner
Last updated
Aug 21, 2025
Duration
4h 0m

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Connect to the LDAP Server and the Linux Server

    Connect to each server:

    ssh cloud_user@<PUBLIC_IP_OF_SERVER>
    

    Provide the appropriate password from the lab interface.

  2. Challenge

    Verify the Installation of LDAP on the LDAP Server

    On the LDAP Server

    1. Check the version of LDAP that has been staged:

      slapd -VV
      
    2. Verify the slapd daemon is running and active:

      sudo systemctl status slapd
      
    3. Provide the cloud_user password for the LDAP server.

    4. Search the existing LDAP database:

      ldapsearch -x -LLL -b dc=example,dc=com
      
  3. Challenge

    Set the Password for the LDAP Server

    On the LDAP Server

    1. Generate an encrypted password:

      slappasswd
      
    2. Copy the output from that command into the clipboard and save it.

    3. Use a Linux text editor to add the encrypted password to the slapd configuration file:

      sudo vi /etc/openldap/slapd.d/cn=config/olcDatabase=\{2\}hdb.ldif
      
    4. Change the line that starts with olcRootPW, replacing the existing string after the colon with the encrypted password you just copied.

    5. After saving the configuration file, restart the service:

      sudo systemctl restart slapd
      
  4. Challenge

    Add a Linux User and Migrate the User to LDAP

    On the LDAP Server

    1. Add a Linux user:

      sudo useradd <ANY_USER>
      
      sudo passwd <ANY_USER>
      
    2. Respond with a password.

    3. Grab the user and group lines from /etc/passwd and /etc/group, and output them to text files:

      grep <ANY_USER> /etc/passwd > ./passwd.txt
      
      grep <ANY_USER> /etc/group > ./group.txt
      
    4. Use the migration utility to convert the Linux text into ldif format:

      /usr/share/migrationtools/migrate_passwd.pl ./passwd.txt ./passwd.ldif
      
      /usr/share/migrationtools/migrate_group.pl ./group.txt ./group.ldif
      
    5. Look at the files you have created:

      cat ./passwd.ldif
      
      cat ./group.ldif
      
    6. Add the ldif data to the directory:

      ldapadd -x -W -D "cn=Manager,dc=example,dc=com" -f ./passwd.ldif
      
      ldapadd -x -W -D "cn=Manager,dc=example,dc=com" -f ./group.ldif
      
    7. Search the directory to determine the contents:

      ldapsearch -x cn=<ANY_USER> -b dc=example,dc=com
      
  5. Challenge

    Verify the User You Added Is Available from the LDAP Client

    From the server configured as an LDAP client:

    id <ANY_USER>
    
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