HTTPS Provisioning

SSL certificate generation on GigaFlow

To generate an SSL certificate for GigaFlow, perform the following steps:

Note: If you have the possibility to create a private key file and a .p12 or a .pfx complete certificate with a password (that includes root, intermediate, and server certificates), then you can skip steps 1 to 5 and go directly to step 6. The private key and the .p12 or .pfx files can be copied to /opt/ros/resources/prepos on Linux or to C:\GigaFlow\Flow\resources\prepos on Windows.

1. To change the current directory to the web server one, that contains the keystore, perform the following steps:

• For Linux, on your VM or appliance in the terminal prompt, run the following command:

cd /opt/ros/resources/prepos

Note: You can later make sure that the created files have the same chown/chmod permissions as the previous files, respectively root/root and/or gigaflow/viavi.

• For Windows, change the folder to C:\GigaFlow\Flow\resources\prepos.

2. To set the SAN (Subject Alternative Name) field in the CSR (Certificate Signing Request), create or edit the .cnf file as required for the target system. Use the following example to fill the .cnf file.

Note: You must fill the fields in italic font with company specific information, especially if seen in the certificate creation section on customer side.

[ req ]
default_bits = 2048 (another option: 4096)
distinguished_name = req_distinguished_name 
req_extensions = req_ext 
[ req_distinguished_name ] 
countryName = Country Name (2 letter code)
stateOrProvinceName = State or Province Name (full name) 
localityName = Locality Name (for example, city) 
organizationName = Organization Name (for example, company)
commonName = Common Name (for example, server FQDN or YOUR name) 
[ req_ext ]
subjectAltName = @alt_names
[alt_names] 
DNS.1 = 5l60p12.ds.jdsu.net
DNS.2 = (name without FQDN .com)
DNS.3 = (can use the IP)

3. To generate the public/private keypair and CSR using the .cnf file, use the following example:

openssl req -out gigaflow1_20240129.csr -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout gigaflow1_20240129.key -config gigaflow1.cnf

Note: The file created with the -keyout command, *.key will be used later.

4. Submit the CSR to the CA (Certificate Authority). The CA will generate the cert file.

• Collect the cert file from CA.
• If possible, get a complete chain from the customer or create a password protected P12 chain from the CA files, the cert file, and the private key.
• If CA provides a *.pem file that contains all 3 sections, then use that file.
• To create a file with separate .cer files from CA, follow the below example:

cat <signed_cert_filename> <intermediate.cert> [<intermediate2.cert>] > GigaFlow1_20240129_chain.txt{.pem}

5. To create a .p12 certificate used for the server, follow the below example:

openssl pkcs12 -export -in GigaFlow1_20240129_chain.txt -inkey <private_key_filename> -name ‘GigaFlow1_20240129’ -out GigaFlow1_20240129.p12

The command requires the following parameters and will ask (also confirm) for a .p12 password to be created then used later in GigaFlow (no password fails inside GigaFlow):
in - use the certificate from CA .pem or chain of separate .txt files (.pem).
inkey - use the key created above in step 3. (.key).
name - use the DNS name of the server.
out - the name of the files to be used by GigaFlow (.p12).
Example:

6. In the GigaFlow UI, under System > Global > SSL, select the newly created .p12 files.

Note: If the certificate is valid, then https shows again and the SSL page shows the certificate alias(es). This way your GigaFlow https connection is now secured.

Note: If the certificate is invalid or the file change does not work, then the https connection is refused and the GigaFlow UI will freeze. In this case use an http connection to change the Keystore Location back to resources\prepos\roskeystore.jks and enter as Keystore Password the string cashelros254. A new certificate needs to be created and tested.

a. To register the new certificate connect using http to port 7902 or at appliance Web UI, since next step can disconnect the https connection.

b. In the Keystore Location field enter the name of new certificate that needs to be present in the prepos directory.

c. In the Keystore Password enter the matching password (no password will not work).

Note: GigaFlow will auto-restart the https listener to immediately use the new certificate. You are not required to manually restart the server and/or the service.

Note: The method used here may depend on the format in which the certificate(s) is/are provided by the CA.

d. Install the P12 into the following folders:

• For Linux: /opt/ros/resources/prepos on the GigaFlow server.
• For Windows: C:\GigaFlow\Flow\resources\prepos on the GigaFlow server.

e. Adjust the file chmod/chown attributes on the P12 to match the previous .p12 file.