SSL Certificate Installation Instructions

Microsoft IIS 4

Firstly when your issuance email arrives it will contain your web server certificate. Copy your web server certificate into a text editor such as notepad including the header and footer. You should then have a text file that looks like:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
[encoded data]
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Make sure you have 5 dashes to either side of the BEGIN CERTIFICATE and END CERTIFICATE and that no white space, extra line breaks or additional characters have been inadvertently added. Copy your web server certificate into a text editor such as notepad and save as yourdomain.cer. Note: For Windows N4.0, you must have at least Service Pack 4.0 or higher or Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.

Installing your Web server Certificate

  1. Start the MS IIS Management Console and select your server.
  2. Click on the Key Manager icon. Select your original key.
  3. Select Install Key Certificate from the Key menu.
  4. Locate the yourdomain.cer file you had created earlier.
  5. Type in your original key's password.
  6. Click OK in the Server Bindings box.
  7. Select Commit from the Computers menu. Click Yes to commit all changes.
  8. Stop then Start Your Web Server
  9. Test your certificate by connecting to your server. Use the https protocol directive (e.g. https://your server/) to indicate you wish to use secure HTTP.
  10. Note: The padlock icon on your Web browser will be displayed in the locked position if you have set up your site properly.

    Backing up your key pair file

  11. Unlike other files, key pair files (keypair = private key + certificate) cannot just be copied. To make a backup, you must Export to a Backup File. To restore your system, you must do an Import from a Backup File.
  12. This process assumes identical web server configurations are used for exporting the key as well as for importing the key. So both servers must be IIS. You can't go from one type of server to another.

    Exporting your key

  13. Open your Microsoft Management Console via the IIS Internet Service Manager.
  14. Click to open the Key Manager.
  15. Select the key to be exported.
  16. Select the Key menu and choose Export Key to a Backup File. Click OK in the Key Manager Warning box.
  17. Specify the destination for saving your key, press OK.
  18. Close your Key Manager and Management Console windows.
  19. Please remember your password that was used to install your certificate. You will need this password if you ever need to recover your certificate through the import process.

Test your certificate by using a browser to connect to your server. Use the https protocol directive (e.g. https://your server/) to indicate you wish to use secure HTTP. The padlock icon on your browser will be displayed in the locked position if your certificates are installed correctly and the server is properly configured for SSL.