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NSDB-SIMPLE-NCE(8) System Manager's Manual NSDB-SIMPLE-NCE(8)

NAME

nsdb-simple-nce - Create a simple NSDB Container Entry

SYNOPSIS

nsdb-simple-nce [-?d] [-D binddn] [-l nsdbname] [-r nsdbport] parent-dn

INTRODUCTION

RFC 5716 introduces the Federated File System (FedFS, for short). FedFS is an extensible standardized mechanism by which system administrators construct a coherent namespace across multiple file servers using file system referrals. For further details, see fedfs(7).

The bulk of FedFS junction information in a FedFS domain is stored on one or more LDAP servers. These servers are known as namespace databases, or NSDBs, for short.

FedFS-enabled file servers and clients access the information stored on NSDBs via standard LDAP queries. FedFS-enabled file servers use these queries to resolve FedFS junctions. FedFS administrators use these queries to manage information about file sets contained in a FedFS domain name space.

DESCRIPTION

The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command is part of a collection of low-level single-use programs that are intended for testing the NSDB protocol or for use in scripts. This command is an easy way to turn a standard LDAP server into an NSDB by creating an NSDB Container Entry in the server's Directory Information Tree (or DIT, for short).

The top of the DIT on an LDAP server has one or more naming contexts. Some LDAP server implementations call these contexts root suffixes. An LDAP server's naming contexts are easy for clients to locate with a well-known search query. All LDAP entries on that server are contained under naming contexts.

The LDAP entry under which all other FedFS-related entries reside is known as the NSDB Container Entry (or NCE). The NCE can be a naming context entry, or it can be located somewhere below a naming context. The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command adds an NSDB Container Entry with a distinguished name that can be created without much prior knowledge of the server's DIT.

Once this entry is created, the nsdb-simple-nce(8) command automatically adds the new entry's DN to the parent naming context so that NSDB clients can find it. The result is a ready-to-use NSDB.

The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command establishes an NSDB quickly and without fuss. A more sophisticated configuration may be established using standard LDAP tools and the nsdb-update-nci(8) command. This might be necessary when preparing an existing LDAP server with a large pre-existing DIT for use as an NSDB.

This command has one positional parameter which specifies the distinguished name of the parent entry of the new NSDB Container Entry.

OPTIONS

Enables debugging messages during operation.
-?, --help
Displays nsdb-simple-nce(8) version information and a usage message on stderr.
Specifies a distinguished name of an entity used to bind to the LDAP server where the NSDB resides. If the --binddn option is not specified, the value of the FEDFS_NSDB_ADMIN environment variable is consulted. If this variable is not set, the NSDB connection parameter database is searched for this DN. If none of these is specified, or if this entity does not have permission to modify this area of the server's DIT, the nsdb-simple-nce(8) command fails.
Specifies the hostname of the NSDB where the target NCE should reside. If the --nsdbname option is not specified, the value of the FEDFS_NSDB_HOST environment variable is consulted. If the variable is not set and the --nsdbname option is not specified, the nsdb-simple-nce(8) command fails.
Specifies the IP port of the NSDB where the target NCE should reside. If the --nsdbport option is not specified, the value of the FEDFS_NSDB_PORT environment variable is consulted. The default value if the variable is not set is 389.

EXIT CODES

The NSDB returns a value that reflects the success of the requested operation.

The LDAP modify request succeeded.
The bound entity does not have permission to perform the requested operation.
One of the arguments was not valid.
An unanticipated non-protocol error occurred.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command was unable to find a route to the specified NSDB.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command determined that the specified NSDB was down.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command was unable to establish a connection with the specified NSDB.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command was unable to authenticate and establish a secure connection with the specified NSDB.
A non-specific LDAP error occurred on the connection between the nsdb-simple-nce(8) command and specified NSDB.
An LDAP error occurred on the connection between the nsdb-simple-nce(8) command and specified NSDB. The specific error may be displayed on the command line.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command received a malformed response from the specified NSDB.
An unanticipated error related to the specified NSDB occurred.
The local NSDB connection parameter database does not have any connection parameters on record for the specified NSDB.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command received an LDAP referral that it was unable to follow.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command received an LDAP referral that it was unable to follow. A specific error may be displayed on the command line.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command received an LDAP referral that it chose not to follow, either because the local implementation does not support following LDAP referrals or LDAP referral following is disabled.
The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command received an LDAP referral that it chose not to follow because the local NSDB connection parameter database had no connection parameters for the NSDB targeted by the LDAP referral.

EXAMPLES

Suppose you are the FedFS administrator of the example.net FedFS domain and that you want to make the LDAP server ldap.example.net into an NSDB. Ensure the LDAP server has the FedFS schema installed. The naming context "dc=example,dc=net" must exist, and must have an entry associated with it. Then you might use:

$ nsdb-simple-nce -l ldap.example.net -D cn=Manager dc=example,dc=net
Enter NSDB password:
Successfully created simple NCE

The distinguished name of the new NCE is "ou=fedfs,dc=example,dc=net". The naming context "dc=example,dc=net" is updated to refer NSDB clients to the "ou=fedfs,dc=example,dc=net" entry.

To see the new NCE, use nsdb-nces(8).

SECURITY

LDAP naming contexts are typically writable only by administrative entities. The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command must bind as an administrative entity to perform this operation. The nsdb-simple-nce(8) command asks for a password on stdin. Standard password blanking techniques are used to obscure the password on the user's terminal.

The target LDAP server must be registered in the local NSDB connection parameter database. The connection security mode listed in the NSDB connection parameter database for the target LDAP server is used during this operation. See nsdbparams(8) for details on how to register an NSDB in the local NSDB connection parameter database.

SEE ALSO

fedfs(7), nsdb-nces(8), nsdb-update-nce(8), nsdbparams(8)

RFC 5716 for FedFS requirements and overview

RFC 4510 for an introduction to LDAP

COLOPHON

This page is part of the fedfs-utils package. A description of the project and information about reporting bugs can be found at http://wiki.linux-nfs.org/wiki/index.php/FedFsUtilsProject.

AUTHOR

Chuck Lever <chuck.lever@oracle.com>

3 February 2014