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Setting up the AD CS Role

1. Install the AD CS Role

Select the following AD CS Role Services to install the Certification Authority (and Certification Authority Web Enrollment in case you want to run the web server on this machine).

2. Configure the AD CS Role

  • Login as Domain Administrator (or dedicated CA administrator) to configure the Enterprise Subordinate CA.

  • On the Role Services window, select Certification Authority (and Certification Authority Web Enrollment in case you want to run the web server on the same machine). Click Next.

  • On the Setup Type window, select the appropriate CA setup type for your requirements, in our case the Enterprise CA. Click Next.

  • On the CA Type window, select Subordinate CA. Click Next.

  • On the Private Key window, leave the default selection to Create a new private key selected. Click Next.

  • On the Cryptography for CA window, select the RSA#Securosys Primus HSM Key Storage Provider along with the key type, key length and suitable hash algorithm. Please consider that some older devices and applications do only support key lengths up to 2048 bit. Then click Next.

  • On the CA Name window, give the appropriate CA name and click Next.

note

You should not use the name of the computer nor FQDN.

  • On the Certificate Request window, select Save a certificate request to file on the target machine be-cause our Root CA is offline.

  • On the CA Database window click Next to use the defaults.
  • Review your settings on the Confirmation window and click Configure.

The request file to be signed by the Root CA is saved locally.

  • On the Results window click Close.

  • On the subordinate CA, install the root CA certificate (.cer) in the local machine’s Trusted Root CA certif-icate store by right-clicking the file and then Install Certificate…

  • In case of using CRL distribution by the IIS web-server, create the directory C:\inetpub\wwwroot\certdata on the web-server and copy the .crl and .crt files from the root CA server to the above folder.