How-To: OpenLDAP Server Installation, in 15 Minutes or Less

Basic instructions for setting up an OpenLDAP instance using AWS, Ubuntu, OpenLDAP (slapd), Apache, and phpLDAPadmin

This is a no-nonsense quick-start guide for a person with some basic familiarity and comfort with command-line usage and access to AWS. The Ubuntu instance is free, as is the rest of the software suggested here. This gets you a basic, vanilla OpenLDAP instance that you will be able to admin via a web browser. Additional security hardening and configuration will/may be necessary for your particular needs.

Hardware

Spin up an AWS EC2 Ubuntu instance.

Server Prep

SSH into your server and issue this command:

sudo apt-get update

Server Security

Enable Port 80 and 389 for Apache and LDAP via the AWS console.

Install Apache

Execute this command via SSH:

sudo apt-get install apache2

Access your instance’s IP address via a web browser and verify the default Apache page is visible. You can find your instance’s address via the AWS console.

Install LDAP Server & Utilities

Execute this command via SSH:

sudo apt-get install slapd ldap-utils

You will be prompted to enter a password, so do so.

LDAP Configuration

Execute this command via SSH:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure slapd

You will be faced with anther set of prompts you must answer in order to configure OpenLDAP.

---

Omit OpenLDAP server configuration?

No

DNS domain name?

example.com

Organization name?

EXAMPLE

Administration Password?

Same as previous, or a new one

Database backend to use?

HDB

Remove the database when slapd is purged?

No

Move old database?

Yes

Allow LDAPv2 Protocol?

No

Install phpLDAPadmin Package

Execute this command via SSH:

sudo apt-get install phpldapadmin

Configure phpLDAPadmin

Execute this command via SSH:

sudo nano /etc/phpldapadmin/config.php

Look for the line that starts with:

$servers->setValue('server','name'

In nano you can search for a string by typing CTRL-W, then the string, then ENTER. Your cursor will be placed on the correct line.

This line is a display name for your LDAP server, which the web interface uses for headers and messages about the server. Choose anything appropriate for your instance here:

$servers->setValue('server','name','My Sample LDAP Instance');

Next, move down to the $servers->setValue(‘server’,’base’ line. This config tells phpLDAPadmin what the root of the LDAP hierarchy is. This example is based on the assumption you typed in example.com when reconfiguring the slapd package.

$servers->setValue('server','base', array('dc=example,dc=com'));

Now find the login bind_id configuration line. Edit similarly:

$servers->setValue('login','bind_id','cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com');

This option pre-populates the admin login details in the web interface. This is information we shouldn’t share if our phpLDAPadmin page is publicly accessible. You may want to later comment out this line with # and manually enter every time you login.

Finished

Point your browser to http://your.ip.address.here/phpldapadmin

Click login.

You should see the Login DN populated correctly with the values you just applied to config.php above.

Now enter the password you entered during the LDAP configuration.

And you’re done.