31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great basic implementation ideas, lacking in some areas, July 18, 2004
This review is from: LDAP System Administration (Paperback)
The book starts with a section on a brief introduction of LDAP before moving in LDAPv3 overview. OpenLDAP takes two chapters, then a section of chapters on Application Integration. Letting LDAP replace NIS, integrating with email, Unix and LDAP, LDAP interoperability and LDAP and Perl finish the chapters off. There are some appendixes that include some of the common Attributes and Objects also.
If you are using Windows and some LDAP application this book does not contain a lot of information for you specific to the OS, but is a great reference for LDAP overall. Most of the code examples rely on Unix understandings. The review of access and OpenLDAP applies directly to numerous systems in understanding how rights are applied.
Replication and referrals is a great topic that is covered well for the beginner. For someone wanting advanced architecture ideas and designs, this chapter does not go deep enough for you. But I enjoyed it still letting me review and pick up a few items I was unaware of.
LDAP administrators that are just starting out, or even ones that have been doing LDAP for some time and need to secure or expand the directory infrastructure could benefit from this book.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best LDAP admin book I have seen, November 6, 2006
This review is from: LDAP System Administration (Paperback)
This excellent book covers implementing and administering LDAP better than any I have seen. It's apparent to me that a great deal of thought has gone into key paragraphs. Despite some comments to the contrary, the organization is methodical and logical. Throughout the book there are references to other sources to further research related topics.
Chapter 1 LDAP is defined and you are pointed to the appropriate RFC's.
Chapter 2 is an overview of the LDAPv3 and explains very well the format of the LDIF directory data/structure files. Incidentally, I found that this book enhanced my understanding of Microsofts Active Directory which encompasses among other things LDAPv3.
Chapter 3 familiarizes you with the slapd.conf file and the example uses an SSHA hashed rootpw (an OpenSSL algorithm) and introduces you to the use of ACL's in this server config file.
Chapter 4 leads you through building a company white pages using the command line (which you certainly should know how to do even if you are a GUI fan); the chapter concludes with a brief list of GUI editors for the faint of heart.
Chapter 5 explains replicating to a backup LDAP server with slurpd, enhanced backups using generated LDIF files and distributing the directory to maximize network traffic efficiency. Additions, deletions and modifications to the database are illustrated. Searching is briefly, but concisely explained.
Chapter 6 begins Part II, application integration. The Pluggable Authentication module pam_ldap and it's configuration file, ldap.conf are discussed and there is a list of ldap.conf parameters with explanations. Replacing NIS with LDAP is covered in this chapter. Chapter 6 ends with a brief overview of security mechanisms in LDAPv3.
Chapter 7 presents LDAP as a directory storing email addresses and other contact information. Configuration examples for connection 4 popular email clients are included. Integration with 3 popular MTA's (postfix, sendmail and Exim) round out the chapter.
Chapter 8 introduces integration of network services other than authentication and email with LDAP. Among other things, DNS, printing and Samba LDAP integration are discussed.
Chapter 9 has a few valuable pointers in interoperability with other platforms, specifically Windows 2000 Active Directory. Digital certificates and Kerberos authentication on the Windows platform as relating to *nix are very briefly discussed.
Chapter 10, Net::LDAP and Perl gives a mainly informational overview of connecting, binding and searching and contains sample scripts using the Net::LDAP module. It also demonstrates adding, updating and deleting entries using Perl scripts instead of the LDIF methods earlier in the book. Note, however that this is not a book about programming; it is a book about LDAP Administration.
Lastly, this book does need an update. Some modules which were separate entities not so long ago are now symbolic links; for example:
/usr/local/sbin/slapacl -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapadd -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapauth -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapcat -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapdn -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slapindex -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slappasswd -> slapd
/usr/local/sbin/slaptest -> slapd
Even the best needs to be updated; and when it is I will be one of the first to purchase it.
LDAP protocol will very likely solve the complex problem of redundant authentication/authorization data spread across heterogenous networks. However, whether your users access resources through passwords or some other mechanism one thing stands out.
If your security database resides in one place, it must be secured and precautions taken that authentication data traversing the network cannot be sniffed or otherwise compromised. In general, most admins accomplish this by encryption using SSH/SSH2 or OpenSSH.
OpenSSH, in turn uses the encryption libraries of OpenSSL so it's a required dependency.
To summarize, IMHO: LDAP is only 1 part of the solution and this book covers it better than any other I have seen. No single reference will cover all the bases and like any well written book this one keeps the focus on the major subject of LDAP, but offers references to other related topics.
Above my workstation is a wooden shelf containing my most important references; this is one of them. I have found the following volumes very helpful and LDAP plays well with these technologies.
"LDAP System Administration" by Gerald Carter.
"SSH The Secure Shell, The Definitive Guide" by Daniel J. Barrett, Richard E. Silverman & Robert G. Byrnes.
"Network Security with OpenSSL" by John Viega, Matt Messier & Pravir Chandra.
"Kerberos: The Definitive Guide" by Jason Garman
These 4 volumes will help you both in securing your network and making it more productive and accessable to authorized users. These volumes complement each other.
If you need guidance for software development, you might try "Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++" by John Viega and Matt Messier
Definitely Five stars - even though it does need updating.
This book fills a knowledge void and can make your life a lot easier. It can save you hours of Google searches, searching forums, pumping your friends for tips, trial and error, and grep'ing log files; this one deserves a slot in your special library.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
LDAP System Administration review, April 15, 2005
This review is from: LDAP System Administration (Paperback)
This book provides a good introduction to implementing OpenLDAP. I found the authors "jumped" tangentially around quite a bit topically, rather than following an idea from start to finish. It was a bit disconcerting following the examples and being interrupted with background material constantly. This may be an editorial problem, as usually backreferences to material are enclosed in callout boxes, while the topical flow continues.
I was surprised at the editing and presentation - it wasn't up to usual O'Reilly standards. I was disappointed with the lack of schema level information - part of what I wanted from the book was an understanding of merging multiple schemas to provide cross -client compatibility of directory service usage - i.e. how can LDAP provide services compatible with Mozilla, Eudora, Outlook etc. with common data storage.
All in all, I learned a lot from this book, but I am still needing more material to complete the project I am working on - I'll have to find better documentation on schema considerations. Worth the price, but in need of better editing and a new edition.
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