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Enabling https on the IIS website

Content Manager requires that https is enabled on the IIS website that is used for Content Manager.

Before you begin

Follow this procedure on the main Content Manager server. After installing the certificate, you must bind the website to https (included in the last step below).

About this task

Before you can enable https on the Content Manager website you must first install a SSL certificate on the server. There are several ways to request and install a certificate:
  • You can buy a certificate from a commercial certificate authority, for example, Verisign. These commercial CAs have online how-to help pages that guide you through the process of requesting a certificate and installing it.
  • When your company has an internal Certificate Authority, you can request certificates yourself, or through your IT staff.
  • Use the Create Domain Certificate in IIS. To do this follow the procedure below.

Procedure

  1. Request and install the certificate.
    1. In Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, open: ComputerName > Server Certificates.
    2. In the right Actions pane, click Create Domain Certificate.
      A Create Certificate window displays.
    3. Add the necessary information to the fields in Create Certificate:
      • Common name: Enter the complete domain name of the URL to be used for this Content Manager. For example: techdoccms.sdl.com
      • Organization: enter your company name. For example: SDL
      • Organizational unit: Enter the name of the department that is requesting the certificate. For example: SDL IT
      • City, State & Country: Enter the city, state & country where the company is located.
    4. Click Next.
      An Online Certificate Authority window displays.
    5. Specify Online Certificate Authority that you want to use by clicking Select to the right of the field.
    6. Enter a Friendly Name. The Friendly Name is a more user-friendly name for the certificate and is shown in several programs such as IIS.

      You should see the requested certificate appearing in the IIS Server Certificates list, and you can now use it.

    7. Click Finish .
  2. Bind the website to https:
    1. Right-click the IIS Website that will be used for Content Manager.
    2. Select Edit Bindings.
    3. Click Add.
      • In the Type field, select https.
      • In the SSL certificate field select the certificate that you requested and installed; select the Friendly Name specified in the previous step.
    4. Click OK.