LDAP query to an Active Directory server

Here’s a great way to test your *nix-based system’s ability to successfully query an Active Directory server from the command line:

ldapsearch -LLL -H ldap://<ADserver>:389 -b 'dc=<domainName>,dc=<topLevelDomain>' -D '<ADdomain>\<userName>' -w '<password>' '(sAMAccountName=<shortName>)'