Associating a Secure Sockets Layer configuration dynamically with an outbound protocol and remote secure endpoint

 

After creating an SSL configuration, associate a secure outbound management scope with the new configuration. In this release, you can associate one SSL configuration with one remote secure endpoint and a different SSL configuration to another remote secure endpoint. Both endpoints can use the same outbound protocol, if appropriate. This task describes how to create the association dynamically. Dynamic outbound selection requires that you provide only the outbound protocol name, the target host, and the target port so that WebSphere Application Server can make a connection between the SSL configuration and the outbound protocol or remote secure endpoint. The dynamic outbound selection method takes precedence over other selection methods, such as central management and direct selection, but is second to the programmatic method, that is, setting an SSL configuration on the running thread. For more information about the selection types and precedence rules, see Secure communications using Secure Sockets Layer.

 

Overview

Complete the following steps in the console:

 

Procedure

1. Click Security > SSL certificate and key management > Manage endpoint security configurations > Outbound.

2. Select the management scope to associate with an SSL configuration on the topology tree.

3. Under Related Items, click Dynamic outbound endpoint SSL configurations. The default dynamic outbound configuration name, the target protocol, host, and port connection information, and the SSL configuration name display.

4. Click New to create a new dynamic outbound configuration.

5. Type a dynamic outbound configuration name. Use a name that is descriptive of the purpose of the dynamic selection configuration.

6. Optionally, type a dynamic selection configuration description.

7. Type the connection information to associate with the configuration that is displayed in the SSL configuration drop-down list. The connection information must be in the format protocol name, target host, target port. You can substitute an asterisk (*) for any value, as in the following examples:

   • *,*,443

   • *,www.ibm.com,443

   • HTTP,.austin.ibm.com,*

   where 443 is a port, www.ibm.com is a host, HTTP is a protocol, and .austin.ibm.com is a target host. You can add multiple connections, but each additional connection can affect outbound performance.

8. Click Add to add the new connection to the set of SSL configuration connections. To remove a connection, select it and click Remove.

9. Select an SSL configuration from the list.

10. Click Get certificate aliases to refresh the certificate aliases that are contained in the associated key store.

11. Choose a certificate alias from the list.

12. Click OK and Save.

 

Results

WAS is ready to connect one or more SSL configurations to one or more remote secure endpoints.

 

What to do next

You can return to the outbound tree and select another management scope to associate with the same or a new outbound configuration.

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Example: Programmatically specifying an outbound SSL configuration using JSSEHelper API

Associating Secure Sockets Layer configurations centrally with inbound and outbound scopes

Selecting an SSL configuration alias directly from an endpoint configuration

Enabling Secure Sockets Layer client authentication for a specific inbound endpoint

Manage endpoint security configurations

Dynamic inbound and outbound endpoint SSL configurations collection

Dynamic outbound endpoint SSL configuration settings

 

Related concepts

Secure communications using Secure Sockets Layer
Dynamic outbound selection of Secure Sockets Layer configurations
Central management of Secure Sockets Layer configurations
Secure Sockets Layer configurations

 

Related Reference

ssl.client.props client configuration file