How to Generate a CSR on Nutanix Cluster?

Are you looking to enhance the security of your Nutanix Cluster with a robust SSL certificate? The journey begins with generating a Certificate Signing Request.

This paramount step is important for acquiring an SSL cert from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) like – Certera, Sectigo, etc.

While the process may seem complicated, generating a CSR on a Nutanix Cluster is a relatively straightforward process. To help you with the endeavor, we have explained the whole process using – simple step-by-step instructions in this article.

But, before proceeding with the steps, it would be better, if we are aware of – what a CSR is. So, first, go through it.

What is a CSR?

A Certificate Signing Request, a.k.a. CSR, is an encoded text file a certificate authority requires to issue an SSL certificate. It consists of details of the entity requesting the SSL cert. A CSR contains details about your server and organization, like – the domain name, company name, location information, and much more.

How to Generate a CSR on Nutanix Cluster?

Follow the steps mentioned below to generate a CSR on Nutanix Cluster:

• To set the location of your OpenSSL configuration file, run the Set OPENSSL_CONF=C:\OpenSSL-Win64\bin\openssl.cfg command.
• The openssl.cfg file will open.
• In the openssl.cfg file, perform these actions:
• Locate the subjectAltName line or field and add alternative domains.
• Locate the 0.organizationName line or field and type the organization name.
• Locate the organizationalUnitName line or field and type the unit name.
• Locate the commonName line or field and type the Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) that you want to shield.
• Locate the countryName line or field and type the two-letter ISO code of your country.
• Locate the stateOrProvinceName line or field type the name of the state where your company is registered.
• Locate the locatilityName line of field and type the name of the city where the business is – located.
• Don’t do any other changes.
• Run the openssl req -new -nodes -out yoursitename.csr -config openssl.cfg -sha256 command to generate private key and CSR.

Viewing the contents of a Certificate Signing Request is straightforward and can be done using standard text editors like – Notepad++. After creating the CSR, submit it to your trusted CA/provider for review. Once approved, the CA will issue the SSL cert and send it to your registered email ID as a – .zip folder.

This zip folder will contain your primary certificate and intermediate certificates necessary for installing the SSL cert on the Nutanix cluster.

Once you have received the SSL certificate, you can refer to the article “How to Install SSL certificate on Nutanix Cluster?” to install it and enhance your network security successfully.