How to Fix “Initializing ldap…failed” Zimbra Installation on CentOS 6.2 x86_64

If you encounter the error message “Initializing ldap…failed” during the installation of Zimbra on CentOS 6.2 x86_64, it indicates a problem with the initialization of the LDAP service. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol used by Zimbra for user authentication and directory services.

*** CONFIGURATION COMPLETE - press 'a' to apply
Select from menu, or press 'a' to apply config (? - help) a
Save configuration data to a file? [Yes] yes
Save config in file: [/opt/zimbra/config.9228]
Saving config in /opt/zimbra/config.9228...done.
The system will be modified - continue? [No] yes
Operations logged to /tmp/zmsetup.03312012-204237.log
Setting local config values...done.
Setting up CA...done.
Deploying CA to /opt/zimbra/conf/ca ...done.
Creating SSL certificate...done.
Installing mailboxd SSL certificates...done.
Initializing ldap...failed. (28416)

ERROR

Configuration failed

Please address the error and re-run /opt/zimbra/libexec/zmsetup.pl to
complete the configuration.

Errors have been logged to /tmp/zmsetup.03312012-204237.log

In this quick tutorial, we will walk you through the steps to fix this issue and successfully install Zimbra on your CentOS 6.2 x86_64 system.

Step 1: Check System Requirements:

Before proceeding with the fix, ensure that your CentOS 6.2 x86_64 system meets the minimum system requirements for Zimbra. Make sure you have sufficient resources, such as CPU, memory, and disk space, to run Zimbra smoothly. Additionally, verify that you have a stable internet connection for downloading the necessary packages.

Step 2: Install Required Packages:

To resolve the “Initializing ldap…failed” issue, you may need to install additional packages. Open a terminal or connect to your server via SSH and execute the following commands:

sudo yum install perl -y
sudo yum install nc -y

These commands will install the required Perl and nc (netcat) packages, which are necessary for Zimbra to function properly.

Step 3: Disable SELinux:

SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) is a security mechanism that can interfere with the proper functioning of Zimbra. To avoid any conflicts, it is recommended to disable SELinux temporarily during the installation process. Open the SELinux configuration file using a text editor:

sudo vi /etc/selinux/config

Locate the line that says SELINUX=enforcing and change it to SELINUX=disabled. Save the file and exit the text editor.

Step 4: Reboot the System:

To apply the changes made to SELinux, reboot your CentOS system by executing the following command:

sudo reboot

After the reboot, SELinux will be disabled, allowing Zimbra to initialize the LDAP service without any interference.

Step 5: Retry Zimbra Installation:

Once your system has restarted, attempt to install Zimbra again using the installation command appropriate for your Zimbra version. For example:

sudo ./install.sh

Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process. With SELinux disabled and the required packages installed, Zimbra should be able to initialize the LDAP service successfully.

Conclusion:

In this guide, we have addressed the “Initializing ldap…failed” error during Zimbra installation on CentOS 6.2 x86_64. By ensuring system requirements are met, installing the required packages, disabling SELinux, and retrying the installation, you should be able to resolve the issue and successfully install Zimbra on your system.

If you have any further questions or encounter any difficulties, please feel free to ask.