Python-ldap search: Size Limit Exceeded

Question

I'm using the python-ldap library to connect to our LDAP server and run queries. The issue I'm running into is that despite setting a size limit on the search, I keep getting SIZELIMIT_EXCEEDED errors on any query that would return too many results. I know that the query itself is working because I will get a result if the query returns a small subset of users. Even if I set the size limit to something absurd, like 1, I'll still get a SIZELIMIT_EXCEEDED on those bigger queries. I've pasted a generic version of my query below. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here?

result = self.ldap.search_ext_s(self.base, self.scope, '(personFirstMiddle=<value>*)', sizelimit=5)

Answer 1

When the LDAP client requests a size-limit, that is called a 'client-requested' size limit. A client-requested size limit cannot override the size-limit set by the server. The server may set a size-limit for the server as a whole, for a particular authorization identity, or for other reasons - whichever the case, the client may not override the server size limit. The search request may have to be issued in multiple parts using the simple paged results control or the virtual list view control.