5.7 Schema

The directory schema defines the types of objects that can be created in your tree (such as Users, Printers, and Groups) and what information is required or optional at the time the object is created. iManager provides the following schema-related tasks:

For more information about eDirectory schema, see the Novell eDirectory 8.8 SP7 Administration Guide.

5.7.1 Adding an Attribute

You can add optional attributes to existing classes if your organization’s information needs change or if you are preparing to merge trees. To add an attribute to an existing class:

NOTE:Mandatory attributes can be defined only while creating a class. A mandatory attribute is one that must be completed when an object is being created.

  1. In Roles and Tasks, select Schema > Add Attribute.

  2. Select the class you want to add an attribute to, then click OK.

  3. Select the attributes you want to add, then click OK.

    Select the desired attributes from the Available Optional Attributes list, then click the Right-arrow to add these attributes to the Add These Optional Attributes list. Use the Left-arrow to remove attributes from Add These Optional Attributes.

    Objects you create of this class now have the properties you added. To set values for the added properties, use the generic Other property page of the object.

5.7.2 Viewing Attribute Information

You can view an attribute’s structural details such as Syntax, flags and Classes that use the attribute. To see an attribute’s information:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, select Schema > Attribute Information.

  2. Select the attribute for which you want to see information, then click View.

    The Content frame displays information related to the selected attribute.

  3. When finished, click Close.

5.7.3 Viewing Class Information

The Class Information page displays information about the selected class and lets you add attributes. During class creation, if the class is specified to inherit attributes from another class, the inherited attributes are classified as they are in the parent class. For instance, if Object Class is a mandatory attribute for the parent class, then it displays on this screen as a mandatory attribute for the selected class.

To see a Class’s information:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, select Schema > Class Information.

  2. Select the class for which you want to see information, then click View.

    The Content frame displays information related to the selected class. To add an attribute to the class, select Add a new attribute. To view the class’s parent class, select View superclass.

  3. When finished, click Close.

5.7.4 Creating an Attribute

You can define your own custom types of attributes and add them as optional attributes to existing object classes. However, you cannot add mandatory attributes to existing classes. To create an attribute:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Create Attribute.

  2. Follow the steps in the Create Attribute Wizard to complete the attribute creation procedure.

5.7.5 Creating a Class

An auxiliary class is a set of properties (attributes) added to particular object rather than to an entire class of objects. For example, an e-mail application could extend the schema of your eDirectory tree to include an E-Mail Properties auxiliary class and then extend individual objects with those properties as needed.

Using Schema Manager, you can define your own auxiliary classes. You can then extend individual objects with the properties defined in your auxiliary classes. To create an auxiliary class:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Create Class.

  2. Follow the steps in the Create Class Wizard to define the new class.

5.7.6 Deleting an Attribute

You can delete unused attributes that aren’t part of the base schema of your eDirectory tree. This might be useful after merging two directory trees, or if an attribute has become obsolete over time. To delete an attribute:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Delete Attribute.

  2. Select the attribute you want to delete, then click Delete.

    Only attributes that you can delete are displayed.

5.7.7 Deleting a Class

You can delete unused classes that aren’t part of the base schema of your eDirectory tree. iManager prevents you from deleting classes that are currently being used in locally replicated partitions. To delete a class:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Delete Class.

  2. Select the class you want to delete, then click Delete.

    Only classes that are allowed to be deleted are shown.

5.7.8 Extending a Schema

You can extend the schema of a tree by creating a new class or attribute. To extend the schema of your eDirectory tree, you need Administrator/Supervisor right to the entire tree. To extend the schema:

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Extend Schema.

  2. Follow the ICE Wizard through the import, export, migration of data, or schema update and compare operations.

5.7.9 Extending an Object

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Object Extensions.

  2. Specify the name and context of the object you want to extend, then click OK.

  3. Depending on whether the auxiliary class that you want to use is already listed under Current Auxiliary Class Extensions, click one of the following:

  4. Click Close.

You can also add or remove auxiliary classes at once for multiple objects.

  1. In Roles and Tasks, click Schema > Object Extensions.

  2. Click the Select Multiple Objects tab.

    1. Select the objects that you want to extend, then click OK.

      The list of auxiliary class extensions is displayed which are common to all the selected objects.

    2. To add an auxiliary class, click Add, select the required auxiliary class, then click OK.

    3. To delete an existing auxiliary class, select the class, then click Remove.

  3. Click Close to exit the page.