This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of network client management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
To ensure LDAP communication is encrypted, an administrator configures LDAP over SSL (LDAPS) on port 636. Which configuration file on the client should be modified to specify the LDAP server with TLS?
/etc/pam_ldap.conf
Why wrong: PAM LDAP configuration file, but ldap.conf is the base.
/etc/openldap/ldap.conf
Why wrong: Common location, but the exact path may vary; ldap.conf is standard.
/etc/nsswitch.conf
Why wrong: This file controls name service order.
/etc/ldap/ldap.conf
This is the standard LDAP client configuration file.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
/etc/ldap/ldap.conf
Option D is correct because the LDAP client configuration file on Linux systems is typically located at /etc/ldap/ldap.conf (or /etc/openldap/ldap.conf on some distributions). This file is used by LDAP client libraries (e.g., libldap) to specify the LDAP server URI, including the use of TLS/SSL via the ldaps:// scheme or the TLS_REQCERT directive. Modifying this file allows the client to connect to an LDAP server over port 636 with encryption.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
/etc/pam_ldap.conf
Why it's wrong here
PAM LDAP configuration file, but ldap.conf is the base.
/etc/openldap/ldap.conf
Why it's wrong here
Common location, but the exact path may vary; ldap.conf is standard.
/etc/nsswitch.conf
Why it's wrong here
This file controls name service order.
/etc/ldap/ldap.conf
Why this is correct
This is the standard LDAP client configuration file.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the client configuration file path between distributions (e.g., /etc/openldap/ldap.conf vs. /etc/ldap/ldap.conf) or mistakenly choose /etc/pam_ldap.conf because it deals with authentication, but the question specifically asks for the file to specify the LDAP server with TLS, which is the generic client LDAP configuration file.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the LDAP client library reads /etc/ldap/ldap.conf (or the distribution-specific equivalent) to set global defaults like URI, BASE, and TLS options. When using LDAPS, the URI must start with ldaps:// (e.g., ldaps://ldap.example.com:636), and the TLS_REQCERT directive can be set to 'demand' to enforce certificate validation. A real-world scenario is when an organization requires all LDAP queries to be encrypted; the administrator must ensure this file is correctly configured on every client, as misconfiguration can lead to fallback to unencrypted connections or connection failures.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Network Client Management — This question tests Network Client Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: /etc/ldap/ldap.conf — Option D is correct because the LDAP client configuration file on Linux systems is typically located at /etc/ldap/ldap.conf (or /etc/openldap/ldap.conf on some distributions). This file is used by LDAP client libraries (e.g., libldap) to specify the LDAP server URI, including the use of TLS/SSL via the ldaps:// scheme or the TLS_REQCERT directive. Modifying this file allows the client to connect to an LDAP server over port 636 with encryption.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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