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Windows Server with multiple sites and SSL

Hi,

We have a Windows server with multiple IIS sites running. We also have multiple SSL certficates for these sites. The sites are not related so have different domains. How can we run such sites on one server and secure them using our certficates. It looks like we can only have one site with SSL on the server. It is a waste to run one site only on a huge server. What are our options, including, if necessary, buying hardware/software.

Cheers
H

Carl Dula

Take a look at:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/b77cf015-017f-489c-9b5b-65ca4a679392.mspx?mfr=true

http://weblogs.asp.net/istofix/archive/2009/08/18/hosting-multiple-websites-applications-on-iis-part-1.aspx

gbzhhu

ASKER

carlmd,

Have read these links thoroughly but niether told me anything I didn't already know. I though a wildcard certificate may help but I don't know enough to be sure. I am looking for someone who is more knowledgeable in this area who will tell me what is possible and what isn't plus possibly pointers for instructions to a solution

Cheers
h

Carl Dula

You get a wildcard certificate but that will only work if all sites use naming like: site1.domain.com, site2.domain.com etc where they all end in domain.com

The following offers a sample with instructions for what you want to do.

http://www.harbar.net/articles/ssl.aspx

gbzhhu

ASKER

Sorry my question says "The sites are not related so have different domains" so they are like
abc.123.com and def.456.com. That link was a good read again but I am still not getting the answer I am looking for which are

a) yes you can host 2 unrelated SSL enabled sites in IIS and here is how you do
b) no you cannot host 2 unrelated SSL enabled sites in IIS but in your scenario you have these options

1. buy another server
2. buy this software
3. etc

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Carl Dula

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gbzhhu

ASKER

Thanks carlmd,

That is what I like to hear before I start fiddling with the server :-)

Did you use the fixed IP method?

Carl Dula

Yes, that is the easiest assuming you have WAN ip addresses that you can use.

gbzhhu

ASKER

Thank you let me try that

gbzhhu

ASKER

Thanks a lot carl

Will probably take me a couple of days to get it done and be back here! too many other things

sharpe19

There is no limit on the number of certificates which IIS can handle (well there probably is, but the number is certainly much higher than the number of sites it is prudent to serve), you would just import each of the certificates into the certificate store and bind them accordingly to the applicable site or sites. Avoid wildcard certificates if possible.

gbzhhu

ASKER

sharpe19,

One of the sites in IIS works like this

- we have a domain abc.com
- We sign a new shop to the portal and the shop becomes shopname.abc.com
- There are now over 10 shops and it will grow to a 100, say

How can we avoid wild card certificate?

Cheers
H

Carl Dula

I believe the article pointed to in ID: 39070572 above provides the solution to the question.

gbzhhu

ASKER

Sorry I left this open too long