Most of the configuration of the ldap server has to do with getting correct access controls to keep the data safe. Here is a sample: # Turn on automatic last modification time lastmod on # Index some things index uid eq index keyfingerprint eq index cn,sn approx,sub,eq # Administrate #rootdn "uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" #rootpw # Restrict reading/modification of the password to administration and self access to attrs=userpassword,sshrsaauthkey by self write by dn="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by group="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by * compare access to attrs=emailforward by dn="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by group="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by self write by addr=127.0.0.1 read by domain=.*\.debian\.org read by * none access to attrs=c,l,loginShell,ircNick by dn="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by group="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by self write access to attrs=facsimileTelephoneNumber,telephoneNumber,postalAddress,postalC ode,loginShell,onvacation,privateSub,latitude,longitude by dn="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by group="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by self write by dn="uid=.*,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" read by * none access to * by dn="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write by group="uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org" write # End---------- Note that in more modern versions of slapd, the "by addr" and "by domain" syntax has changed and the following should be used instead: by peername.ip=127.0.0.1 read by domain.subtree=debian.org read Here is the initial seed file to import and setup the proper entries: dn: dc=org dc: net objectClass: top objectClass: domain dn: dc=debian,dc=org dc: visi objectClass: top objectClass: domain dn: ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org ou: users objectClass: top objectClass: organizationalUnit dn: uid=admin,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org uid: admin cn: LDAP administrator objectClass: top objectClass: groupOfNames userPassword: {crypt}????? member: uid=jgg,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org member: uid=joey,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org member: uid=troup,ou=users,dc=debian,dc=org mail: debian-admin@debian.org