When working with a fresh OpenLDAP installation, attempting to add a country entry (c=fr) directly under the root DSE (Directory Server Entry) will trigger this error. OpenLDAP requires proper hierarchical structure and won't allow standalone country entries without proper superior references.

For an organizational directory, you typically need to establish this base structure first:

dn: dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: domain
dc: myorganization

dn: ou=GROUPS,dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: GROUPS

Here's the correct sequence to create your desired structure:

# First create the base domain
dn: dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: domain
dc: myorganization

# Then create the groups OU
dn: ou=GROUPS,dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: GROUPS

# Create application OU
dn: ou=MYAPP,ou=GROUPS,dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: MYAPP

# Finally create your regional OU
dn: ou=MYREGION,ou=MYAPP,ou=GROUPS,dc=myorganization,dc=com
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: MYREGION

If you specifically need the country entry, you must first create a proper root structure:

dn: o=myorganization,c=fr
objectClass: top
objectClass: organization
o: myorganization

dn: ou=GROUPS,o=myorganization,c=fr
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalUnit
ou: GROUPS

• Always start with a proper root entry (domain or organization)
• Maintain the hierarchical relationship between entries
• Use ldapadd with proper admin credentials
• Verify your schema supports the object classes you're using

When setting up a new OpenLDAP server, you might encounter the "no global superior knowledge" error (LDAP error code 53) when trying to add country-level entries. This typically happens because OpenLDAP requires a proper hierarchical structure from the beginning.

The error occurs because you're attempting to add a country entry (c=fr) without first establishing the root of your DIT (Directory Information Tree). OpenLDAP needs a proper base DN structure before accepting country-level entries.

First, create a root entry for your directory. Here's a basic example:

dn: dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: domain
dc: nodomain

Add this first using:

ldapadd -x -D cn=admin,dc=nodomain -W -f root.ldif

Now you can properly structure your directory. Here's the complete sequence:

# 1. Add country
dn: c=fr,dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: country
c: fr

# 2. Add organization
dn: o=myorganization,c=fr,dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: organization
o: myorganization

# 3. Add organizational units
dn: ou=GROUPS,o=myorganization,c=fr,dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalunit
ou: GROUPS

dn: ou=MYAPP,ou=GROUPS,o=myorganization,c=fr,dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalunit
ou: MYAPP

dn: ou=MYREGION,ou=MYAPP,ou=GROUPS,o=myorganization,c=fr,dc=nodomain
objectClass: top
objectClass: organizationalunit
ou: MYREGION

For more permanent solutions, consider modifying your OpenLDAP configuration:

dn: olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config
changetype: modify
replace: olcSuffix
olcSuffix: dc=nodomain

replace: olcRootDN
olcRootDN: cn=admin,dc=nodomain

replace: olcRootPW
olcRootPW: {SSHA}hashedpassword

After setting up, verify your directory structure with:

ldapsearch -x -b "dc=nodomain" -D "cn=admin,dc=nodomain" -W

This should show your complete hierarchy from the root down to your organizational units.