unable to add DB DIT , getting value #0 invalid per syntax error command used : ldapadd -x -D 'cn=config' -w secret -f create_sns_db.ldif below is the content of "create_sns_db.ldif" file dn: olcDatabase=mdb,cn=config objectClass: olcMdbConfig olcDatabase: mdb olcDbMaxSize: 1073741824 olcSuffix: dc=smartsan olcDbDirectory: /usr/local/var/openldap-data/sns_db olcRootDN: cn=admin,dc=smartsan olcRootPW: secret2 olcDbIndex: objectClass eq below is the debug output for the ldapadd command used: #ldapadd -x -D 'cn=config' -w secret -f create_sns_db.ldif -d 255 ldap_create ldap_sasl_bind ldap_send_initial_request ldap_new_connection 1 1 0 ldap_int_open_connection ldap_connect_to_host: TCP localhost:389 ldap_new_socket: 4 ldap_prepare_socket: 4 ldap_connect_to_host: Trying ::1 389 ldap_pvt_connect: fd: 4 tm: -1 async: 0 attempting to connect: connect success ldap_open_defconn: successful ldap_send_server_request ber_scanf fmt ({it) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aa9d18010 ptr=0x7f1aa9d18010 end=0x7f1aa9d1802d len=29 0000: 30 1b 02 01 01 60 16 02 01 03 04 09 63 6e 3d 63 0....`......cn=c 0010: 6f 6e 66 69 67 80 06 73 65 63 72 65 74 onfig..secret ber_scanf fmt ({i) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aa9d18010 ptr=0x7f1aa9d18015 end=0x7f1aa9d1802d len=24 0000: 60 16 02 01 03 04 09 63 6e 3d 63 6f 6e 66 69 67 `......cn=config 0010: 80 06 73 65 63 72 65 74 ..secret ber_flush2: 29 bytes to sd 4 0000: 30 1b 02 01 01 60 16 02 01 03 04 09 63 6e 3d 63 0....`......cn=c 0010: 6f 6e 66 69 67 80 06 73 65 63 72 65 74 onfig..secret ldap_write: want=29, written=29 0000: 30 1b 02 01 01 60 16 02 01 03 04 09 63 6e 3d 63 0....`......cn=c 0010: 6f 6e 66 69 67 80 06 73 65 63 72 65 74 onfig..secret ldap_result ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 wait4msg ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 (infinite timeout) wait4msg continue ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 all 1 ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Connections: * host: localhost port: 389 (default) refcnt: 2 status: Connected last used: Tue May 25 05:42:41 2021 ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Outstanding Requests: * msgid 1, origid 1, status InProgress outstanding referrals 0, parent count 0 ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 request count 1 (abandoned 0) ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Response Queue: Empty ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 response count 0 ldap_chkResponseList ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 all 1 ldap_chkResponseList returns ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 NULL ldap_int_select read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 all 1 ber_get_next ldap_read: want=8, got=8 0000: 30 0c 02 01 01 61 07 0a 0....a.. ldap_read: want=6, got=6 0000: 01 00 04 00 04 00 ...... ber_get_next: tag 0x30 len 12 contents: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aaa048b10 ptr=0x7f1aaa048b10 end=0x7f1aaa048b1c len=12 0000: 02 01 01 61 07 0a 01 00 04 00 04 00 ...a........ read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 message type bind ber_scanf fmt ({eAA) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aaa048b10 ptr=0x7f1aaa048b13 end=0x7f1aaa048b1c len=9 0000: 61 07 0a 01 00 04 00 04 00 a........ read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 0 new referrals read1msg: mark request completed, ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 request done: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 1 res_errno: 0, res_error: <>, res_matched: <> ldap_free_request (origid 1, msgid 1) ldap_parse_result ber_scanf fmt ({iAA) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aaa048b10 ptr=0x7f1aaa048b13 end=0x7f1aaa048b1c len=9 0000: 61 07 0a 01 00 04 00 04 00 a........ ber_scanf fmt (}) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aaa048b10 ptr=0x7f1aaa048b1c end=0x7f1aaa048b1c len=0 ldap_msgfree adding new entry "olcDatabase=mdb,cn=config" ldap_add_ext ldap_send_initial_request ldap_send_server_request ber_scanf fmt ({it) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aa9d18020 ptr=0x7f1aa9d18020 end=0x7f1aa9d18148 len=296 0000: 30 82 01 24 02 01 02 68 82 01 1d 04 19 6f 6c 63 0..$...h.....olc 0010: 44 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 3d 6d 64 62 2c 63 6e 3d Database=mdb,cn= 0020: 63 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 81 ff 30 1d 04 0b 6f 62 6a config0..0...obj 0030: 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 73 31 0e 04 0c 6f 6c 63 4d ectClass1...olcM 0040: 64 62 43 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 14 04 0b 6f 6c 63 44 dbConfig0...olcD 0050: 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 31 05 04 03 6d 64 62 30 1c atabase1...mdb0. 0060: 04 0c 6f 6c 63 44 62 4d 61 78 53 69 7a 65 31 0c ..olcDbMaxSize1. 0070: 04 0a 31 30 37 33 37 34 31 38 32 34 30 1a 04 09 ..10737418240... 0080: 6f 6c 63 53 75 66 66 69 78 31 0d 04 0b 64 63 3d olcSuffix1...dc= 0090: 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e 30 31 04 0e 6f 6c 63 44 smartsan01..olcD 00a0: 62 44 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 31 1f 04 1d 2f 76 bDirectory1.../v 00b0: 61 72 2f 6c 69 62 2f 6f 70 65 6e 6c 64 61 70 2d ar/lib/openldap- 00c0: 64 61 74 61 2f 73 6e 73 5f 64 62 30 23 04 09 6f data/sns_db0#..o 00d0: 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 44 4e 31 16 04 14 63 6e 3d 61 lcRootDN1...cn=a 00e0: 64 6d 69 6e 2c 64 63 3d 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e dmin,dc=smartsan 00f0: 30 16 04 09 6f 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 50 57 31 09 04 0...olcRootPW1.. 0100: 07 73 65 63 72 65 74 32 30 1e 04 0a 6f 6c 63 44 .secret20...olcD 0110: 62 49 6e 64 65 78 31 10 04 0e 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 bIndex1...object 0120: 43 6c 61 73 73 20 65 71 Class eq ber_scanf fmt ({) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x7f1aa9d18020 ptr=0x7f1aa9d18027 end=0x7f1aa9d18148 len=289 0000: 68 82 01 1d 04 19 6f 6c 63 44 61 74 61 62 61 73 h.....olcDatabas 0010: 65 3d 6d 64 62 2c 63 6e 3d 63 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 e=mdb,cn=config0 0020: 81 ff 30 1d 04 0b 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 ..0...objectClas 0030: 73 31 0e 04 0c 6f 6c 63 4d 64 62 43 6f 6e 66 69 s1...olcMdbConfi 0040: 67 30 14 04 0b 6f 6c 63 44 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 g0...olcDatabase 0050: 31 05 04 03 6d 64 62 30 1c 04 0c 6f 6c 63 44 62 1...mdb0...olcDb 0060: 4d 61 78 53 69 7a 65 31 0c 04 0a 31 30 37 33 37 MaxSize1...10737 0070: 34 31 38 32 34 30 1a 04 09 6f 6c 63 53 75 66 66 418240...olcSuff 0080: 69 78 31 0d 04 0b 64 63 3d 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 ix1...dc=smartsa 0090: 6e 30 31 04 0e 6f 6c 63 44 62 44 69 72 65 63 74 n01..olcDbDirect 00a0: 6f 72 79 31 1f 04 1d 2f 76 61 72 2f 6c 69 62 2f ory1.../var/lib/ 00b0: 6f 70 65 6e 6c 64 61 70 2d 64 61 74 61 2f 73 6e openldap-data/sn 00c0: 73 5f 64 62 30 23 04 09 6f 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 44 s_db0#..olcRootD 00d0: 4e 31 16 04 14 63 6e 3d 61 64 6d 69 6e 2c 64 63 N1...cn=admin,dc 00e0: 3d 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e 30 16 04 09 6f 6c 63 =smartsan0...olc 00f0: 52 6f 6f 74 50 57 31 09 04 07 73 65 63 72 65 74 RootPW1...secret 0100: 32 30 1e 04 0a 6f 6c 63 44 62 49 6e 64 65 78 31 20...olcDbIndex1 0110: 10 04 0e 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 73 20 65 ...objectClass e 0120: 71 q ber_flush2: 296 bytes to sd 4 0000: 30 82 01 24 02 01 02 68 82 01 1d 04 19 6f 6c 63 0..$...h.....olc 0010: 44 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 3d 6d 64 62 2c 63 6e 3d Database=mdb,cn= 0020: 63 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 81 ff 30 1d 04 0b 6f 62 6a config0..0...obj 0030: 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 73 31 0e 04 0c 6f 6c 63 4d ectClass1...olcM 0040: 64 62 43 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 14 04 0b 6f 6c 63 44 dbConfig0...olcD 0050: 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 31 05 04 03 6d 64 62 30 1c atabase1...mdb0. 0060: 04 0c 6f 6c 63 44 62 4d 61 78 53 69 7a 65 31 0c ..olcDbMaxSize1. 0070: 04 0a 31 30 37 33 37 34 31 38 32 34 30 1a 04 09 ..10737418240... 0080: 6f 6c 63 53 75 66 66 69 78 31 0d 04 0b 64 63 3d olcSuffix1...dc= 0090: 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e 30 31 04 0e 6f 6c 63 44 smartsan01..olcD 00a0: 62 44 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 31 1f 04 1d 2f 76 bDirectory1.../v 00b0: 61 72 2f 6c 69 62 2f 6f 70 65 6e 6c 64 61 70 2d ar/lib/openldap- 00c0: 64 61 74 61 2f 73 6e 73 5f 64 62 30 23 04 09 6f data/sns_db0#..o 00d0: 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 44 4e 31 16 04 14 63 6e 3d 61 lcRootDN1...cn=a 00e0: 64 6d 69 6e 2c 64 63 3d 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e dmin,dc=smartsan 00f0: 30 16 04 09 6f 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 50 57 31 09 04 0...olcRootPW1.. 0100: 07 73 65 63 72 65 74 32 30 1e 04 0a 6f 6c 63 44 .secret20...olcD 0110: 62 49 6e 64 65 78 31 10 04 0e 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 bIndex1...object 0120: 43 6c 61 73 73 20 65 71 Class eq ldap_write: want=296, written=296 0000: 30 82 01 24 02 01 02 68 82 01 1d 04 19 6f 6c 63 0..$...h.....olc 0010: 44 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 3d 6d 64 62 2c 63 6e 3d Database=mdb,cn= 0020: 63 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 81 ff 30 1d 04 0b 6f 62 6a config0..0...obj 0030: 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 73 31 0e 04 0c 6f 6c 63 4d ectClass1...olcM 0040: 64 62 43 6f 6e 66 69 67 30 14 04 0b 6f 6c 63 44 dbConfig0...olcD 0050: 61 74 61 62 61 73 65 31 05 04 03 6d 64 62 30 1c atabase1...mdb0. 0060: 04 0c 6f 6c 63 44 62 4d 61 78 53 69 7a 65 31 0c ..olcDbMaxSize1. 0070: 04 0a 31 30 37 33 37 34 31 38 32 34 30 1a 04 09 ..10737418240... 0080: 6f 6c 63 53 75 66 66 69 78 31 0d 04 0b 64 63 3d olcSuffix1...dc= 0090: 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e 30 31 04 0e 6f 6c 63 44 smartsan01..olcD 00a0: 62 44 69 72 65 63 74 6f 72 79 31 1f 04 1d 2f 76 bDirectory1.../v 00b0: 61 72 2f 6c 69 62 2f 6f 70 65 6e 6c 64 61 70 2d ar/lib/openldap- 00c0: 64 61 74 61 2f 73 6e 73 5f 64 62 30 23 04 09 6f data/sns_db0#..o 00d0: 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 44 4e 31 16 04 14 63 6e 3d 61 lcRootDN1...cn=a 00e0: 64 6d 69 6e 2c 64 63 3d 73 6d 61 72 74 73 61 6e dmin,dc=smartsan 00f0: 30 16 04 09 6f 6c 63 52 6f 6f 74 50 57 31 09 04 0...olcRootPW1.. 0100: 07 73 65 63 72 65 74 32 30 1e 04 0a 6f 6c 63 44 .secret20...olcD 0110: 62 49 6e 64 65 78 31 10 04 0e 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 bIndex1...object 0120: 43 6c 61 73 73 20 65 71 Class eq ldap_result ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 wait4msg ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 (timeout 100000 usec) wait4msg continue ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 all 1 ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Connections: * host: localhost port: 389 (default) refcnt: 2 status: Connected last used: Tue May 25 05:42:41 2021 ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Outstanding Requests: * msgid 2, origid 2, status InProgress outstanding referrals 0, parent count 0 ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 request count 1 (abandoned 0) ** ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 Response Queue: Empty ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 response count 0 ldap_chkResponseList ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 all 1 ldap_chkResponseList returns ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 NULL ldap_int_select read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 all 1 ber_get_next ldap_read: want=8, got=8 0000: 30 34 02 01 02 69 2f 0a 04...i/. ldap_read: want=46, got=46 0000: 01 15 04 00 04 28 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 43 6c 61 73 .....(objectClas 0010: 73 3a 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 23 30 20 69 6e 76 61 s: value #0 inva 0020: 6c 69 64 20 70 65 72 20 73 79 6e 74 61 78 lid per syntax ber_get_next: tag 0x30 len 52 contents: ber_dump: buf=0x565118724fb0 ptr=0x565118724fb0 end=0x565118724fe4 len=52 0000: 02 01 02 69 2f 0a 01 15 04 00 04 28 6f 62 6a 65 ...i/......(obje 0010: 63 74 43 6c 61 73 73 3a 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 23 ctClass: value # 0020: 30 20 69 6e 76 61 6c 69 64 20 70 65 72 20 73 79 0 invalid per sy 0030: 6e 74 61 78 ntax read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 message type add ber_scanf fmt ({eAA) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x565118724fb0 ptr=0x565118724fb3 end=0x565118724fe4 len=49 0000: 69 2f 0a 01 15 04 00 04 28 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 43 i/......(objectC 0010: 6c 61 73 73 3a 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 23 30 20 69 lass: value #0 i 0020: 6e 76 61 6c 69 64 20 70 65 72 20 73 79 6e 74 61 nvalid per synta 0030: 78 x read1msg: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 0 new referrals read1msg: mark request completed, ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 request done: ld 0x7f1aaa121dc0 msgid 2 res_errno: 21, res_error: <objectClass: value #0 invalid per syntax>, res_matched: <> ldap_free_request (origid 2, msgid 2) ldap_parse_result ber_scanf fmt ({iAA) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x565118724fb0 ptr=0x565118724fb3 end=0x565118724fe4 len=49 0000: 69 2f 0a 01 15 04 00 04 28 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 43 i/......(objectC 0010: 6c 61 73 73 3a 20 76 61 6c 75 65 20 23 30 20 69 lass: value #0 i 0020: 6e 76 61 6c 69 64 20 70 65 72 20 73 79 6e 74 61 nvalid per synta 0030: 78 x ber_scanf fmt (}) ber: ber_dump: buf=0x565118724fb0 ptr=0x565118724fe4 end=0x565118724fe4 len=0 ldap_msgfree ldap_err2string ldap_add: Invalid syntax (21) additional info: objectClass: value #0 invalid per syntax ldap_free_connection 1 1 ldap_send_unbind ber_flush2: 7 bytes to sd 4 0000: 30 05 02 01 03 42 00 0....B. ldap_write: want=7, written=7 0000: 30 05 02 01 03 42 00 0....B. ldap_free_connection: actually freed Note: i have manually typed the contents of the ldif file to make sure no extra characters are there.