The Novell Import Convert Export tool is a full-featured LDAP utility that enables you to perform:
LDIF imports
LDIF exports
Comma-delimited data imports
Comma-delimited data exports
Data migration between LDAP servers
Schema Compare and Update
Bulk loading of LDAP data generated from a template
Novell recommends using the Novell Import Convert Export utility because it has the following advantages:
Asynchronous Requests. The LDAP utilities use synchronous processing to ensure that all records are processed in the order they appear in the file. The LDAP server is idle from the time it sends its response to one request until it receives the next request. For a small file, this delay is not significant, but when you are importing a file with a million records, the delay becomes significant. The Novell Import Convert Export utility uses the LDAP Bulk Update/Replication Protocol (LBURP), which allows it to send asynchronous requests that contain more than one update operation while still guaranteeing that the records are processed in order. For more information, see Section 1.8, LDAP Bulk Update/Replication Protocol.
Simple Passwords. The Novell Import Convert Export utility has an option for eDirectory 8.5 that allows simple passwords to be stored securely in the directory. Storing simple passwords is a quick process whereas generating key pairs is a CPU-intensive process. For a small file, generating the key pairs as the users are added is not significant. However for a large file, this option greatly increases the speed with which the password information can be loaded. This simple password can be used to perform NMAS-enabled and LDAP binds to eDirectory.
When this password is changed, the public and private key pairs are generated enabling logins using the standard eDirectory password.
Server to Server Migration. The Novell Import Convert Export utility supports the migration of LDAP data from one LDAP server to another LDAP server. Traditional LDAP utilities only support importing data from an LDIF file to an LDAP server. With these utilities, you would have to first export the data to an LDIF file and then import the data to the other server.
Forward Referencing. Since eDirectory enforces referential integrity, container entries must be created before user entries that belong to the container. If you have an LDIF file which has been exported from an LDAP server that does not enforce referential integrity, the records may not be in the right order for eDirectory to process and will thus fail. The Novell Import Convert Export utility has an option that creates a forward reference for such a container. This forward reference is then replaced with a normal entry when the record that adds the container is processed. For more information, see Section 1.9, Forward References.
You can use the utility as either a command line utility or a graphical utility. The comma-delimited data handler, schema cache, and DirLoad drivers are command line utility. For information about the graphical utility, see “Novell Import Conversion Export Utility” in the eDirectory Administration Guide. This reference contains instructions for using the command line utility.
The Novell Import Convert Export is compatible with eDirectory 8.5 or higher. The utility includes two LDAP extension modules that are automatically loaded when the LDAP server starts, and a client utility that runs as a snap-in to ConsoleOne™. The utility replaces both the BULKLOAD and ZoneImport utilities included with previous versions of eDirectory.
The utility is installed as part of ConsoleOne. A Win32 version (ICE.EXE), a NetWare version (ICE.NLM), Solaris version (ICE), and Linux version (ICE) are included in the installation.
The utility manages a collection of handlers that read or write data in a variety of formats. Source handlers read data, while destination handlers write data. A single executable module can be both a source and a destination handler. The utility receives data from a source handler, processes the data, then passes the data to a destination handler.
For example, if you want to import LDIF data into an LDAP directory, the utility uses an LDIF source handler to read an LDIF file and an LDAP destination handler to send the data to the LDAP directory server.
See Section 3.0, LDIF Examples for more information about LDIF files.