AXIGEN will use the set search pattern to match an entry from the LDAP directory. If a match is found, the entry is analyzed and certain properties for the entry are used to perform the routing and authentication actions.

These properties need to be set in the LDAP connector options if they are required in the cluster setup. If they are missing the cluster will not function properly. In case the directory structure is already defined, the respective properties must be added to each user entry. If the directory is a fresh installation, each added user should have the properties defined beforehand. Below is an example of what a user LDIF file should contain for AXIGEN to use both routing and authentication for this user:

dn: cn=user1,dc=example,dc=tld
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
objectClass: inetLocalMailRecipient
cn: user-account
sn: user-account
mail: user-account@example.tld
userPassword: user-account
mailHost: 127.0.0.1

The first line specifies where the user entry will be added and where its actual location in the directory structure will be. The next two lines define what properties this entry will be allowed to use. The common name and the surname are next, followed by the three main properties used by AXIGEN proxy services:

• The "mail" property is defined in the LDAP connector settings that AXIGEN tries to match during the search process.
• The "userPassword" property will be used by AXIGEN in the authentication process.
• The "mailHost" property specifies the back-end server a user account is hosted on.

The properties are loaded from the schema files that LDAP uses through the "objectClass" definition lines. The fields can have different names, depending on the actual directory setup, but all of them can be set in the LDAP connector settings so that AXIGEN maintains its flexibility regarding already configured directory structures.

In the above example, the "mailHost" property is the one providing the routing information back to the AXIGEN proxy, thus it must exist for the cluster setup to work correctly. The "userPassword" property, however, is optional as the authentication process can be performed locally, on each back-end.