Server Certificates And Ssl Encryption; Generating A Certificate Signing Request - Novell GROUPWISE 8 - ADMINISTRATION Administration Manual

75.2 Server Certificates and SSL Encryption

You should strengthen native GroupWise encryption with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
communication between servers where GroupWise agents are installed. If you have not already set
up SSL on your system, you must complete the following tasks:
Section 75.2.1, "Generating a Certificate Signing Request," on page 1161
Section 75.2.2, "Using a GWCSRGEN Configuration File," on page 1163
Section 75.2.3, "Submitting the Certificate Signing Request to a Certificate Authority," on
page 1163
Section 75.2.4, "Creating Your Own Certificate," on page 1163
Section 75.2.5, "Installing the Certificate on the Server," on page 1166
Section 75.2.6, "Configuring the Agents to Use SSL," on page 1166
If you have already set up SSL on your system and are using it with other applications besides
GroupWise, skip to Section 75.2.6, "Configuring the Agents to Use SSL," on page

75.2.1 Generating a Certificate Signing Request

Before the GroupWise agents can use SSL, you must create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
and obtain a public certificate file. The CSR includes the hostname of the server where the agents
run. Therefore, you must create a CSR for every server where you want the GroupWise agents to use
SSL. However, all GroupWise agents running on the same server can all use the same resulting
certificate, so you do not need separate CSRs for different agents. The CSR also includes your
choice of name and password for the private key file that must be used with each certificate. This
information is needed when configuring the agents to use SSL.
One way to create a CSR is to use the GWCSRGEN utility. This utility takes the information you
provide and creates a
.csr
1 Start the GroupWise Generate CSR utility.
Linux: The utility (
directory. You must be logged in as root to start the utility.
Windows: The utility (
directory either on the GroupWise 8 DVD or downloaded GroupWise 8 image, or in
the GroupWise software distribution directory.
file from which a public certificate file can be generated.
) is installed to the
gwcsrgen
) is located in the
gwcsrgen.exe
/opt/novell/groupwise/agents/bin
\admin\utility\gwcsrgen
Encryption and Certificates 1161
1166.