User Guide

Appendix F: Creating a Server Certificate
You can access the Data Center Planner application from any supported web browser with access to the installed
server. The URL is: https://{servername}:8443/console/console.html?root=mergepoint, where {servername} is
replaced with the host name or IP address of the server upon which the application was installed.
The Data Center Planner software uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to securely communicate between the Data
Center Planner software and Data Center Planner software client accessing the server thru a web browser. SSL
provides secure authentication using certificates, which is data that identifies the site with which communication
will occur. A certificate is typically verified that it was issued by a trusted party such as a trusted Certificate
Authority (CA).
When the Data Center Planner software is initially installed, it generates a self-signed certificate for use with
Data Center Planner software clients. Since this certificate is not from a CA, a Security Alert dialog box will
appear indicating there is a problem with the website’s security certificate. At this point, the user is given the
choice of “Closing this webpage” or “Continuing to the website”.
One approach to eliminate the Security Alert dialog box is to replace this certificate with a security certificate
from a CA. A Data Center Planner software administrator may create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) to
submit to a trusted third party Certificate Authority for signature. The administrator can then replace the
generated self-signed certificate with the new one received from the CA.
To create a certificate signing request:
1. Select Certificates from the primary navigation panel.
2. In the bottom panel, under the Actions, Certificates, select GetCSR.
3. Enter the information and click Generate, then click Download when the button changes.
4. Select a directory, enter a file name and click Save.
5. Submit the CSR generated request to a CA to obtain a signed server certificate.
To replace the current signed certificate:
1. Select Certificates from the primary navigation panel.
2. Select the Signed Certificates Name to be replaced.
3. Select Replace under the Actions, Certificates panel (lower right). The Replace Certificate form will open.
4. If replacing the current certificate with a signed certificate, check the CA Signed Certificate radio button and
select Choose File.
5. Select a directory and the file name of the signed certificate from the CA and click Open to fill in the
Signed Certificate file entry.
-or-
If replacing the current certificate with a self-signed certificate, check the Self-signed Certificate radio
button, complete the form and click OK. The existing certificate is replaced with the new entry
submitted.
6. Restart Data Center Planner to make the certificate is available.
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