---
name: "slapd-monitor"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "openldap"
version: "2.7.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slapd-monitor"
---

# slapd-monitor(5)

Monitor backend to slapd

## NAME

slapd-monitor - Monitor backend to slapd

## SYNOPSIS

/etc/openldap/slapd.conf

## DESCRIPTION

The  **monitor** backend to [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md) is not an actual database; if enabled, it is automatically generated and dynamically maintained by  **slapd** with information about the running status of the daemon.

To inspect all monitor information, issue a subtree search with base cn=Monitor, requesting that attributes "+" and "\*" are returned. The monitor backend produces mostly operational attributes, and LDAP only returns operational attributes that are explicitly requested. Requesting attribute "+" is an extension which requests all operational attributes.

## CONFIGURATION

These **slapd.conf** options apply to the  **monitor** backend database. That is, they must follow a "database monitor" line and come before any subsequent "backend" or "database" lines.

As opposed to most databases, the  **monitor** database can be instantiated only once, i.e. only one occurrence  of "database monitor" can occur in the  [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) file. Moreover, the suffix of the database cannot be explicitly set by means of the  **suffix** directive. The suffix is automatically set to "*cn=Monitor*".

The **monitor** database honors the  **rootdn** and the **rootpw** directives, and the usual ACL directives, e.g. the **access** directive.

Other database options are described in the [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) manual page.

## USAGE

The usage is:

- 1\) enable the **monitor** backend at configure:

  ```
configure --enable-monitor
```

- 2\) activate the **monitor** database in the [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) file:

  ```
database monitor
```

- 3\) add ACLs as detailed in [**slapd.access**(5)](/slapd.access/5.md) to control access to the database, e.g.:

  ```
access to dn.subtree="cn=Monitor"
	by dn.exact="uid=Admin,dc=my,dc=org" write
	by users read
	by * none
```

- 4\) ensure that the **core.schema** file is loaded.

  The  **monitor** backend relies on some standard track attributeTypes that must be already defined when the backend is started.

## ACCESS CONTROL

The  **monitor** backend honors access control semantics as indicated in [**slapd.access**(5)](/slapd.access/5.md), including the  **disclose** access privilege, on all currently implemented operations.

## KNOWN LIMITATIONS

The  **monitor** backend does not honor size/time limits in search operations.

## FILES

- **/etc/openldap/slapd.conf**

  default slapd configuration file

## SEE ALSO

[**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md), [**slapd-config**(5)](/slapd-config/5.md), [**slapd.access**(5)](/slapd.access/5.md), [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md), [**ldap**(3)](/ldap/3.md).

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

**OpenLDAP Software** is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project \<http://www.openldap.org/\>. **OpenLDAP Software** is derived from the University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.