Creating a certificate authority request

To ensure Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communication, servers require a personal certificate that is either self-signed, chained or signed by an external certificate authority (CA). You must first create a personal certificate request to obtain a certificate that is signed by a CA.

Before you begin

The keystore that contains a personal certificate request must already exist.
Alternative Method: To create a certificate request by using the wsadmin tool, use the createCertificateRequest command of the AdminTask object. For more information, see the CertificateRequestCommands command group of the AdminTask object article.
Avoid trouble Avoid trouble: Before you use WebSphere® Application Server to create a CA request, make sure that you know the requirements of the CA you are using. When the WebSphere Application Server SSL CA certificate request process is initiated from the administrative console, the Organization property is not marked as a required setting. However, when you request a certificate from some CAs, such as VeriSign, the Organization property is a required setting.gotcha

About this task

Complete the following steps in the administrative console:

Procedure

  1. Click Security > SSL certificate and key management > Key stores and certificates > keystore.
  2. Click Personal certificate requests > New.
  3. Type the full path of the certificate request file. The certificate request is created in this location.
  4. Type an alias name in the Key label field. The alias identifies the certificate request in the keystore.
  5. Type a common name (CN) value. This value is the CN value in the certificate distinguished name (DN).
  6. You can configure one or more of the following optional values:
    1. Optional: Select a key size value. The valid key size values are 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, and 8192. The default key size value is 2048 bits.
    2. Optional: Type an organization value. This value is the O value in the certificate DN.
    3. Optional: Type an organizational unit value. This organizational unit value is the OU value in the certificate DN.
    4. Optional: Type a locality value. This locality value is the L value in the certificate DN.
    5. Optional: Type a state or providence value. This value is the ST value in the certificate DN.
    6. Optional: Type a zip code value. The zip code value is the POSTALCODE value in the certificate DN.
    7. Optional: Select a country value from the list. This country value is the C= value in the certificate request DN.
  7. Click Apply.

Results

The certificate request is created in the specified file location in the keystore. The request functions as a temporary placeholder for the signed certificate until you manually receive the certificate in the keystore.
Note: Keystore tools (such as iKeyman and keyTool) cannot receive signed certificates that are generated by certificate requests from WebSphere Application Server. Similarly, WebSphere Application Server cannot accept certificates that are generated by certificate requests from other keystore utilities.

What to do next

Now you can receive the CA-signed certificate into the keystore to complete the process of generating a signed certificate for your server.
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Last updated: April 17, 2014 04:48 PM CDT
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