What port does the LDAP protocol commonly use?

The LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) commonly uses port 389 for standard communications. This port is designated for LDAP operations, which include querying and modifying directory services. It allows clients to connect to directory servers and perform tasks such as user authentication, retrieving user information, and modifying directory entries.

Port 389 is the designated well-known port for LDAP upon which most LDAP clients and servers will initiate their communications. The importance of this port lies not only in its standard use but also in its capability to support secure communications through an encrypted connection, which is typically established over port 636 for LDAP over SSL (LDAPS).

Understanding the common use of this specific port is crucial for network configuration and security planning, as it plays a vital role in managing directory services within networks.