LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a standardized network protocol for accessing distributed directory services. It was developed at the University of Michigan in 1993 and is specified in RFCs 4510 to 4532.
Technical details
- Tree structure (Directory Information Tree, DIT) for data storage
- Default ports: 389 (unencrypted), 636 (TLS/LDAPS)
- De facto industry standard for centralized authentication
Supported systems
- Microsoft Active Directory
- Apple Open Directory
- OpenLDAP
- Novell eDirectory
Use in the appointment scheduling system: Single Sign-On (SSO)
Via LDAP, companies can connect their existing directory (e.g. Active Directory) to the appointment scheduling system. Staff can then log in with their normal company credentials, without separate passwords.
Configuration parameters
- Host and port of the LDAP server
- Base DN (search base in the directory tree)
- Bind DN / RDN (user name for the server connection)
- Search filter (which users are allowed to log in)
- Allow standard authentication in parallel: The credentials entered are also checked against the local user database, so users without an LDAP entry (e.g. external bookers) can log in with a local password