Basic Openldap Question

All,

A question has popped up here about the "olcDatabase={-1}frontend" under cn=config. Besides replying that it is always there, I'm not really sure what it does or what its purpose is.in addition to what it states in the Admin Guide:

".is a special database that is used to hold database-level options that should be applied to all databases. Subsequent database definitions may also override some frontend settings."

That's my question:

What is the olcDatabase={-1}frontend dbase and what is its purpose?

Thanks in advance,

John D. Borresen (Dave)

Linux/Unix Systems Administrator

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Surveillance Systems Group

244 Wood St

Lexington, MA 02420

Email: john.borresen@ll.mit.edu