diff --git a/inc/User/backend.php b/inc/User/backend.php
index b830859566e3e1a5628582058134f058a46585d6..4283e6799ef64bace2cb059d9b4bbdea9a8b905c 100755
--- a/inc/User/backend.php
+++ b/inc/User/backend.php
@@ -138,4 +138,16 @@ abstract class OC_USER_BACKEND {
 	 */
 	abstract public static function checkPassword($username, $password);
 
+
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all users
+	 *
+	 */
+	abstract public static function getUsers();
+	
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all groups
+	 *
+	 */
+	abstract public static function getGroups();
 }
diff --git a/inc/lib_user.php b/inc/lib_user.php
index 593cd979ef465b49b19c33d903e294a4f5dd094c..2f55e5f6b2af383d5788c5dc2f439a8465481046 100644
--- a/inc/lib_user.php
+++ b/inc/lib_user.php
@@ -213,4 +213,19 @@ class OC_USER {
 		return self::$_backend->checkPassword($username, $password);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all users
+	 *
+	 */
+	public static function getUsers() {
+		return self::$_backend->getUsers();
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all groups
+	 *
+	 */
+	public static function getGroups() {
+		return self::$_backend->getGroups();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/plugins/ldap/lib_ldap.php b/plugins/ldap/lib_ldap.php
index 2105ed2464e311eaf380f58c34baa15ebdcfe780..581561a505dc397f2f9e497ef0814c7cf455560d 100755
--- a/plugins/ldap/lib_ldap.php
+++ b/plugins/ldap/lib_ldap.php
@@ -199,4 +199,21 @@ class OC_USER_LDAP extends OC_USER_BACKEND {
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all users
+	 *
+	 */
+	public static function getUsers(){
+		// does not work with MOD_AUTH (only or some modules)
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * get a list of all groups
+	 *
+	 */
+	public static function getGroups(){
+		// does not work with MOD_AUTH (only or some modules)
+		return false;
+	}
 }