5.2. Populating the Directory Tree

During installation, a simple directory database was created for you. In addition, a simple directory structure was placed in the database for you to use. This directory structure contained basic access control and the major branch points for the recommended directory structure.

Now you need to populate your database with user entries. There are several ways you can create and populate your directory suffixes. These are explained in detail in the Red Hat Directory Server Administration Guide.

The main methods are:

• Create a database from LDIF: Use this method if you want to use the sample directory data shipped with Directory Server, if you are importing entries from another directory via LDIF, or if you have more than a few entries to add at once. For more information about LDIF, refer to the Red Hat Directory Server Administration Guide.

• Start your Directory Server with an empty database and import data over LDAP: This method requires you to populate your directory using an LDAP client such as Directory Server Gateway or the ldapmodify command-line utility. Use this method if you have just a few entries to add at a time. For information on setting up the Directory Server Gateway, refer to the Red Hat Directory Server Gateway Customization Guide. This document is provided with Red Hat Directory Server Resource Kit.

As you are populating your directory, consider your access control needs and set access control accordingly. For more information on access control, see the Red Hat Directory Server Deployment Guide and the Red Hat Directory Server Administration Guide.