Adding Entries

You can add new entries to the directory using the Directory Server interface. To add entries, your Directory Server administrator must have granted you the right to do so. Before you can add an entry, you must authenticate to the Directory Server.

Using the Directory Server interface you can add:

Before you add an entry for the first time, read the New Entry Guidelines section for important information about the directory tree structure and naming conventions.

New Entry Guidelines

Before you begin adding entries to the directory, make sure that you understand the following directory concepts:

Directory Tree Structure

Data in the directory is arranged in a tree hierarchy. The top of the tree is known as the root or suffix. The root entry usually represents the organization entry for the directory.
Note:

Although your directory may contain more than one suffix, the directory server interface only allows you to search for, add, and edit entries in a single suffix. Make sure that you know which suffix your Directory Server interface is supporting before adding new entries.

Below the root are branches of the tree, which usually represent organizational units such as marketing or accounting. Entries for people and resources within your organization are usually contained below these organizational unit branches within the directory tree structure.

When you add an entry, make sure that an entry representing a branch point is created before new entries are created under that branch. For example, if you want to place entries in a Marketing subtree and in an Accounting subtree, then create the branch point for those subtrees before creating entries within the subtrees:

          o=Example.com
          ou=Marketing, o=Example.com
          ...
          Marketing subtree entries           ...           ou=Accounting, o=Example.com           ...           Accounting subtree entries

Distinguished Name Syntax

An entry is uniquely identified within the Directory Server through the use of a distinguished name (DN). A DN identifies the entry by using a series of comma-separated attributes and attribute values. The left-most value in the DN represents the entry's name, with each subsequent attribute representing a branch point above the entry. For example:
uid=bjensen, ou=people, o=example.com
This DN represents the entry named bjensen in the subdirectory named people in the directory named example.com.

When you add a new entry to the Directory Server, you are prompted to enter the complete distinguished name.

Unique Distinguished Names

The Directory Server interface does not allow you to create a duplicate entry. To avoid naming duplications, use distinguished names that begin with the person's user ID (uid) rather than the person's common name (CN). Choose user IDs that are readable; that is, do not use a random collection of letters and numbers for user IDs. If your enterprise already has an email system, one possibility would be to use the left-most value of each person's email address as that person's user ID. For example, if a person has the email address:

bjensen@example.com

then give that person's directory entry the following DN:

uid=bjensen, o=example.com

Adding a Person

To add a new person entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. When you add a person to the directory, a form that allows you to edit that person's data is displayed. This form is displayed in a new web browser window. You must supply values for the required fields. The required fields for a person are:
  5. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for a person are:
  6.  

    First Name  Phone Email Address 
    Fax  User ID Pager
    Mobile Phone  Business Category  Title
    Organizational Unit  Manager  Room Number 
    Admin  Dept#  Emp# 
    Car License#  Mailing Address  Description 
    See Also  URL  Password 
    Note:

    You cannot enter values into the Manager, Admin, or See Also fields until you have saved the entry. Furthermore, changing uid in the New Entry screen will result in a multi-valued uid with the value selected in the first screen as the naming component.

  7. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New Person button at the top of the form.
  8. After saving the entry, you can add values to the Manager and Admin fields or add a See Also value.

Adding an NT Person

When creating an NT-person entry, make sure that the subtree in which you place the entry is the same subtree that the synchronization service uses to synchronize entries. If you place an NT-person entry into another location, it is not synchronized with the Windows network.

To add a new NT-person entry, do the following:

  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. When you add an NT-person to the directory, a form that allows you to edit that person's data is displayed. This form is displayed in a new web browser window. You must supply values for the required fields. The required fields for an NT-person are:
  5. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for a person are:
  6. First Name  Phone  Email Address 
    Fax  Directory Server Password  Pager 
    Mobile Phone  Business Category  Title 
    Organizational Unit  Manager  Room Number 
    Admin  Dept#  Emp# 
    Car License#  Mailing Address  Description 
    See Also  URL  User Id
    Note:

    You cannot enter values into the Manager, Admin, or See Also fields until you have saved the entry.

  7. You can also change the value for the following two options:
  8. The default value is shown. If you do not change the value, the default value is used.
  9. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New NT Person button at the top of the form. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.
  10. After saving the entry, you can add values to the Manager and Admin fields or add a "See Also" value.

Adding a Group

To add a new group entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. When you add a group to the directory, a form that allows you to edit that group's data is displayed. This form is displayed in a new web browser window. You must supply a value for the required field Name.
  5. You can provide a value for the optional Description field now, or add it later.
  6. Note:

    You cannot enter values into the Owner, Group Members, or See Also fields until you have saved the entry.

  7. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New Group button at the top of the form.

  8. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.
  9. After you have saved the entry, you can add values for the Owner, Group Member, and See Also fields.

Adding an NT Group

To add a new NT group entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. When you add an NT-group to the directory, a form that allows you to edit that group's data is displayed. This form is contained in a new web browser window. You must supply a value for the required fields. The required fields for an NT-group are:
  5. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for an NT group are:
  6. Description  Owner 
    NT Group Members  See Also

    Note:

    You cannot enter values into the Owner, NT Group Members, or See Also fields until you have saved the entry.

  7. You may also change the value for the Delete NT Group if Group Deleted option.
  8. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New Group button at the top of the form.

  9. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.
  10. After you save the entry, you can add values for the NT Group Members, Owner, and See Also fields.

Adding an Organizational Unit

To add a new organizational unit entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the "Back" button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. When you add an organizational unit to the directory, a form that allows you to edit that organization's data is displayed. This form is displayed in a new web browser window. You must supply a value for the required field, Unit Name.
  5. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for an organizational unit are:
  6. Description  Phone  Business Category 
    Fax  Location  Mailing Address 
    See Also     

  7. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New Org. Unit button at the top of the form. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.

Adding a Domain Component

To add a new domain entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. You must supply a value for the required field, dc.
  5. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for a domain are:
  6. Description Phone Business Category
    Fax Location Mailing Address
    See Also    

  7. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New dc button at the top of the form. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.

Adding an Organization

To add a new organization entry, do the following:
  1. Click the New Entry tab.
  2. Follow the steps outlined in the New Entry form. When you are done filling in this form, click Continue. To cancel the operation click the Back button in your browser window.
  3. If you have not authenticated before you attempt to add a new entry, or if your authentication has expired, the Directory Server prompts you to authenticate before continuing.
  4. Adding an organization is supported only when you initially populate your directory tree. The organization you add must match the organization you specified in the Database Subtree field when you installed your Directory Server. For example, if you specified a value of:
  5. o=Example.com
    to the Database Subtree field, then you must specify a value of:
    o=Example.com
    when you add the organization. The Directory Server checks the add operation to ensure that the directory entry can exist with the database subtree. Any value other than:
    o=Example.com
    clearly cannot reside under:
    o=Example.com
    As a result, the Directory Server rejects the operation.
  6. You must supply a value for the required field, Organization Name.
  7. You can provide values for the optional fields now, or add them later. The optional fields for an organization are:
  8. Description  Phone  Business Category 
    Fax  Location  Mailing Address 
    See Also     

  9. When you are done filling in the form, click the Save New Org. button at the top of the form. To cancel the entry creation, close the web browser window containing the form.