How to Query LDAP Objects in MySQL Workbench

You can use the SQL Gateway from the ODBC Driver for LDAP to query LDAP objects through a MySQL interface. Follow the procedure below to start the MySQL remoting service of the SQL Gateway and work with live LDAP objects in MySQL Workbench.

Connect to LDAP Objects

If you have not already done so, provide values for the required connection properties in the data source name (DSN). You can use the built-in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure the DSN. This is also the last step of the driver installation. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide to using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure a DSN.

To establish a connection, the following properties under the Authentication section must be provided:

• Valid User and Password credentials (e.g., Domain\BobF or cn=Bob F,ou=Employees,dc=Domain).
• Server information, including the IP or host name of the Server, as well as the Port.

• BaseDN: This will limit the scope of LDAP searches to the height of the distinguished name provided.

  Note: Specifying a narrow BaseDN may greatly increase performance; for example, cn=users,dc=domain will only return results contained within cn=users and its children.

Configure the SQL Gateway

See the SQL Gateway Overview to set up connectivity to LDAP objects as a virtual MySQL database. You will configure a MySQL remoting service that listens for MySQL requests from clients. The service can be configured in the SQL Gateway UI.

👁 Creating a MySQL Remoting Service in SQL Gateway (Salesforce is shown)

Query LDAP from MySQL Workbench

The steps below outline connecting to the virtual LDAP database created in the SQL Gateway from MySQL Workbench and issuing basic queries to work with live LDAP objects.

Connect to LDAP through the SQL Gateway

1. In MySQL Workbench, click to add a new MySQL connection.
2. Name the connection (CData SQL Gateway for LDAP).
3. Set the Hostname, Port, and Username parameters to connect to the SQL Gateway.
4. Click Store in Vault to set and store the password.
5. Click Test Connection to ensure the connection is configured properly and click OK.

NOTE: When we refer to Username and Password, we mean the credentials for the user(s) created for the SQL Gateway.

Query LDAP Objects

1. Open the connection you just created (CData SQL Gateway for LDAP).
2. Click File -> New Query Tab.
3. Write a SQL query to retrieve LDAP objects, like SELECT * FROM `CData LDAP Sys`.User;

With access to live LDAP objects from MySQL Workbench, you can easily work with LDAP, just like you would a MySQL database. Get started now with a free, 30-day trial of the CData ODBC Driver for LDAP and the CData SQL Gateway.