SLAPO-RETCODE(5) File Formats Manual SLAPO-RETCODE(5)
NAME
slapo-retcode - return code overlay to slapd
SYNOPSIS
/etc/ldap/slapd.conf
DESCRIPTION
The retcode overlay to slapd(8) is useful to test the behavior of
clients when server-generated erroneous and/or unusual responses occur,
e.g. error codes, referrals, excessive response times and so on.
The error responses are generated according to different strategies.
In the first case, all operations targeted at a specific configurable
subtree cause the object related to the request DN to be looked up and
checked for return code data: a response code, plus an optional textual
message, an optional configurable delay, an optional matched DN field,
and, when the response code is "referral", a (list of) referral(s).
Well-known response codes from standard track documents are provided in
retcode.conf, which can be included after instantiating the overlay.
In the second case, objects of classes inherited from the errAbsObject,
like errObject or errAuxObject, when returned as intermediate responses
of a search request, are changed into the response dictated by their
content.
A third mode causes objects to be looked up from the underlying database
to discover if their class inherits from errABsObject; in that case,
their content is used to compute the corresponding response.
The behavior is disabled by using the manageDSAit control (RFC 3296); in
that case, the resulting object, either present in the directory or dy-
namically generated by the overlay, or contained in the request, is han-
dled as usual.
The config directives that are specific to the retcode overlay must be
prefixed by retcode-, to avoid conflicts with directives specific to the
underlying database or to other stacked overlays. The following spe-
cific directives can be used to configure the retcode overlay:
retcode-parent <DN>
This directive defines the parent DN where dynamically generated
entries reside. If not defined, the suffix of the database is
used.
retcode-item <RDN> <errCode> [op=<oplist>] [text=<message>]
[ref=<referral>] [sleeptime=<sec>] [matched=<DN>]
[unsolicited=<OID>[:<data>]] [flags=[pre|post-]disconnect[,...]]
A dynamically generated entry, located below retcode-parent. The
errCode is the number of the response code; it can be in any
format supported by strtol(3). The optional oplist is a list of
operations that cause response code generation; if absent, all
operations are affected. The matched field is the matched DN
that is returned along with the error, while the text field is an
optional diagnostics message. The ref field is only allowed for
the referral response code. The sleeptime field causes slapd(8)
to sleep the specified number of seconds before proceeding with
the operation. The unsolicited field can be used to cause the
return of an RFC 4511 unsolicited response message; if OID is not
"0", an extended response is generated, with the optional data
appended. If flags contains disconnect, or pre-disconnect,
slapd(8) disconnects abruptly, without notice; post-disconnect
causes disconnection right after sending response as appropriate.
retcode-indir
Enables exploitation of in-directory stored errAbsObject. May
result in a lot of unnecessary overhead.
retcode-sleep [-]<n>
Defines a sleep time in seconds that is spent before actually
handling any operation. If negative, a random time between 0 and
the absolute value of the argument is used.
SCHEMA
The retcode overlay utilizes the "return code" schema described herein.
This schema is specifically designed for use with this overlay and is
not intended to be used otherwise. It is also noted that the schema
described here is a work in progress, and hence subject to change
without notice. The schema is loaded automatically by the overlay.
The schema includes a number of object classes and associated attribute
types as described below.
The error code:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.1
NAME ( 'errCode' )
DESC 'LDAP error code'
EQUALITY integerMatch
ORDERING integerOrderingMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.27
SINGLE-VALUE )
The operations that trigger the response code:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.2
NAME ( 'errOp' )
DESC 'Operations the errObject applies to'
EQUALITY caseIgnoreMatch
SUBSTR caseIgnoreSubstringsMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.15 )
The text message:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.3
NAME ( 'errText' )
DESC 'LDAP error textual description'
EQUALITY caseIgnoreMatch
SUBSTR caseIgnoreSubstringsMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.15
SINGLE-VALUE )
The sleep time before the response is actually returned to the client:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.4
NAME ( 'errSleepTime' )
DESC 'Time to wait before returning the error'
EQUALITY integerMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.27
SINGLE-VALUE )
The matched DN returned to the client:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.5
NAME ( 'errMatchedDN' )
DESC 'Value to be returned as matched DN'
EQUALITY distinguishedNameMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.12
SINGLE-VALUE )
The OID to be returned as extended response OID in RFC 4511 unsolicited
responses ("0" generates a regular response with msgid set to 0):
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.6
NAME ( 'errUnsolicitedOID' )
DESC 'OID to be returned within unsolicited response'
EQUALITY objectIdentifierMatch
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.38
SINGLE-VALUE )
The octet string to be returned as extended response data in RFC 4511
unsolicited response:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.7
NAME ( 'errUnsolicitedData' )
DESC 'Data to be returned within unsolicited response'
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.40
SINGLE-VALUE )
If TRUE, slapd(8) disconnects abruptly without notice; if FALSE, it
disconnects after sending response as appropriate:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.1.8
NAME ( 'errDisconnect' )
DESC 'Disconnect without notice'
SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.7
SINGLE-VALUE )
The abstract class that triggers the overlay:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.3.0
NAME ( 'errAbsObject' )
SUP top ABSTRACT
MUST ( errCode )
MAY ( cn $ description $ errOp $ errText $ errSleepTime
$ errMatchedDN ) )
The standalone structural objectclass for specifically created data:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.3.1
NAME ( 'errObject' )
SUP errAbsObject STRUCTURAL )
The auxiliary objectclass to alter the behavior of existing objects:
( 1.3.6.1.4.1.4203.666.11.4.3.2
NAME ( 'errAuxObject' )
SUP errAbsObject AUXILIARY )
EXAMPLE
overlay retcode
retcode-parent "ou=RetCodes,dc=example,dc=com"
# retcode.conf is found in tests/data/ of the source tree
include ./retcode.conf
# Wait 10 seconds, then return success (0x00)
retcode-item "cn=Success after 10 seconds" 0x00 sleeptime=10
# Wait 10 seconds, then return timelimitExceeded (0x03)
retcode-item "cn=Timelimit after 10 seconds" 0x03 sleeptime=10
FILES
/etc/ldap/slapd.conf
default slapd configuration file
SEE ALSO
slapd.conf(5), slapd-config(5), slapd(8). The slapo-retcode(5) overlay
supports dynamic configuration via back-config.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This module was written in 2005 by Pierangelo Masarati for SysNet s.n.c.
OpenLDAP 2.6.10+dfsg-1 2025/05/22 SLAPO-RETCODE(5)
Generated by dwww version 1.16 on Tue Dec 16 04:46:36 CET 2025.