Re: How to find server root DN?

["Kurt D. Zeilenga" <Kurt@OpenLDAP.org>]

At 12:22 PM 7/21/00 +0200, Mikael Grehn wrote:
>Is there an "unofficial" standard for "top entry"-DN for LDAPv2 (and LDAPv3)
>servers?

There are no restrictions to what naming contexts a server may
hold.

>Something like "dc=....".
>If I would like to search for people with name containing "kurt" in the info
>LDAP servers mentioned before (ldap.bigfoot.com, ldap.infospace.com,
>ldap.switchboard.com etc)

For many of these services, you can specify an base DN in your
search... they cheat big time.

>I guess a subtree search from top entry with
>proper filter: (&(CN=*kurt*)(objectclass=*)) would be I correct search but
>do anyone know the "top entry"-DN for these LDAPv2 server?

Unless they provide a rootDSE nor cn=config,  you won't be
able to reliably determine the namingContexts held by that
server.  Again, these info servers cheat big time.

>I noticed that ICQ uses these to get person info like mail and name
>correlation. The use LDAP search so...they must know these *magic* "top
>entry"-DN:s. What are they? :-)

They like just provide any old DN... these info servers generally
ignore the provided DN.  That is, they adhere to the LDAP interface,
but not the LDAP information model. (Actually, some don't even
adhere to the interace).

Kurt