{"id":32999,"date":"2017-09-20T03:01:03","date_gmt":"2017-09-19T17:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rjmprogramming.com.au\/ITblog\/?p=32999"},"modified":"2019-09-07T18:26:05","modified_gmt":"2019-09-07T08:26:05","slug":"ssl-certificate-renewal-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rjmprogramming.com.au\/ITblog\/ssl-certificate-renewal-tutorial\/","title":{"rendered":"SSL Certificate Renewal Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"SSL<\/a>

SSL Certificate Renewal Tutorial<\/p><\/div>\n

Adding the big picture around the knowledge presented in SSL Certificate Primer Tutorial<\/a> below, today, we want to fill you in on the deployment of SSL<\/a> (ie. being able to use URLs starting with https:) for a dedicated web server, ours being a CentOS WHM (using cPanel) Apache\/PHP\/MySQL one, the reason being, unless you are getting your dedicated web server maintained elsewhere, there is more you have to do here, as the domain’s administrator, than if you are using shared hosting (ie. lots of domains sharing the one web server), where the administrators of that web server would be happy to manage this themselves … but thanks for asking<\/font>.<\/p>\n

With a dedicated web server deployment of SSL, for us that being a renewal of SSL (though it may as well be for the first time, regarding the steps (except before the first step, where you have to push your hoster, mine being Crazy Domains<\/a>, to install an SSL product (usually not a default, in a hosting package)) in the first place.<\/p>\n

Okay, then, who are the “players” involved for a dedicated web server deployment of SSL you maintain yourself?<\/p>\n

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  1. “Website Administrator”: you … doh!<\/font><\/li>\n
  2. “Web Hoster”: your web hoster, in my case Crazy Domains<\/a> (who may have a dedicated email address just for SSL goings on) … and …<\/li>\n
  3. “SSL Certifier”: more than likely your hoster does not create SSL certification as a core business job, so you have SSL Certificate creators (ours, decided by Crazy Domains<\/a> when they send out the SSL Product (for renewal), but perhaps you could specify) is Comodo<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Okay, then, what are the “broad brush” steps in this renewal of SSL (for a dedicated web server) …<\/p>\n

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    1. “Website Administrator” gets the heads up that SSL Certification is due for renewal from “Web Hoster” (more than likely, via email)<\/a><\/li>\n
    2. “Website Administrator” (might brush up on the finer details, like at useful webpage<\/a>, thanks, or look to SSL Certificate Primer Tutorial<\/a> below) and remember that for CentOS WHM Apache\/PHP\/MySQL web servers you look to start up cPanel and you could verify the number of web server IP addresses via the Show IP<\/a> option then perhaps visit one of the whois<\/i> websites<\/a> to see what is shown already about the domain’s information prior to …<\/li>\n
    3. “Website Administrator” reaches cPanel’s Generate an SSL Certificate and Signing Request option<\/a> (sometimes referred to as “CSR”) via looking for “SSL” in the search bar<\/li>\n
    4. “Website Administrator” fills out the “domains” field, fairly obviously the most important piece of information to get right<\/li>\n
    5. “Website Administrator” fills out the rest of that form and clicks the Create button<\/a> … at which point …<\/li>\n
    6. “Website Administrator” should immediately store away (file) copies of the contents<\/a> of …\n