What in the world is OpenLDAP? Yes, I read about it on the internet, but still, it is weird to me that this even exists. Why is it used for?
It is a directory service. As an example it stores things like user identities and the meta data or properties associated with the users. It's similar to Active Directory. When you have interconnected services within an environment that need authentication, you need a central point of truth for the applications to consult.
Look into AAA, Accounts, Access, Authorization. You need a point of authority to be queried, this is a typical use of LDAP.
Look into AAA, Accounts, Access, Authorization. You need a point of authority to be queried, this is a typical use of LDAP.