LDAP Protocol Operations

LDAP supports nine protocol operations. You can extend the protocol to support new operations and apply controls to extend existing operations. The default operations supported by LDAP fall under the following three categories:

• Interrogation Operations
• Update Operations
• Authentication Operations

A typical LDAP exchange between a client and server consists of the following steps:

1. The client opens a TCP connection to an LDAP server and submits a bind request. The bind operation includes the name of the directory entry as well as the credentials that will be used to authenticate the client. Credentials can be a simple password or a digital certificate.
2. After verifying the bind credentials submitted by the client, the server notifies the client that the bind operation has been successfully completed.
3. The client submits a search request to the server.
4. The server performs the search request and returns the matching entries to the client.
5. The client submits an unbind request to the server and closes the connection.
6. The server fulfills the unbind request.

See Also

Interrogation Operations | Update Operations | Authentication Operations | LDAP Client

 Last updated on Friday, April 09, 2004

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