http://serverfault.com/questions/577356/ldap-backup-with-slapcat-vs-ldapsearch
Used: openldap-servers-2.4.23-34.el6_5.1.x86_64
Task: create script for crontab to create scheduled database full backup.
1) slapcat - create file in in the default format, Berkeley DB.
2) slapcat can be done while slapd running (if bdb/hdb database used).
3) To restore file after slapcat - must be used slapdd (not ldapadd).
4) slapcat/add doesn't require password.
5) slapadd can be done only when slapd stopped.
Example:
$ slapcat -f /etc/openldap/slapd.conf -b "dc=db_1" -l db_1_backup.ldif
$ slapadd -l db_1_backup.ldif
Instead of slapcat/add - let's took a look at ldapsearch/add:
1) ldapsearch - creates file with almost same information as slapcat;
2) ldapadd - can use file from ldapsearch, don't require slapd must be stopped;
3) ldapadd/search - require password.
Example:
$ ldapsearch -D "cn=root,dc=db_1" -W -b "dc=db_1" "dc=db_1" -LLL > db_1_backup2.ldif
$ ldapadd -x -D "cn=root,dc=db_1" -W -f db_1_backup2.ldif