AppViewX Certificate lifecycle automation with KEMP LB Integration

The KEMP LoadMaster supports content switching, which is sometimes referred to as URL switching. This allows the LoadMaster to direct specific requests to specific Real Servers based on the contents of the requested URL.

Problem Statement:

Effective certificate management is crucial for organizations prioritizing network security. Failing to maintain certificates properly can expose businesses to various technical and business risks. Among the challenges faced by PKI administrators, dealing with certificate renewal and pushing to the appropriate profile stand out. These challenges can potentially lead to exposure to vulnerabilities and create backdoor entry points, thereby amplifying the complexity of certificate configuration.

To simplify and streamline the management process, solutions like AppViewX come into play. AppViewX fetches certificates from KEMP and handles crucial tasks such as expiration, renewal, and revocation, effectively managing them within the inventory.

How AppViewX Can Help?

AppViewX seamlessly integrates with KEMP Load Balancer, enabling it to retrieve the list of certificates and efficiently manage its inventory. With this integration, AppViewX effectively handles critical aspects like certificate expiry, renewal, and revocation. It then provides comprehensive reporting to keep users informed about the status of their certificates.

What Goes On Behind The Scenes?

1. The Visual Workflow (VW) is triggered on demand.

2. The user will select the end device name from a drop-down box, to which the certificate will be pushed. (The KEMP device would be in an unresolved state as it has no native support)

3. The user will select the virtual server name from the drop-down box for the selected KEMP device. (The virtual server details are fetched via the KEMP REST API)

4. The user will select the certificate available in the AppViewX inventory by clicking on a drop-down box.

• The certificate common name | serial number would be displayed in the drop-down box.

5. The certificate will be pushed to the selected KEMP device and will be associated with the virtual server. (The certificate push and virtual server association are achieved through KEMP API)

6. Multiple certificates and virtual servers can be added to a table.

• Only one certificate is to be associated with a single virtual server.

7. The KEMP device name and virtual server name are stored as a certificate attribute.

8. The user can push the certificate immediately to the KEMP device or schedule the implementation.

9. On successful installation process, an email notification is sent to the pre-defined dl email ID stating that the “certificate installation process is successful”, along with the following details,

• Certificate common name
• Serial number
• Device name
• Virtual server

10. In case there is an error in the installation process, an email notification is sent to the pre-defined dl email ID stating that the “certificate installation process has failed”, along with the following details,

• Certificate common name
• Serial number
• Device name
• Virtual server
• Reason for failure

Certificate Discovery :

1. The VW will be scheduled on a weekly basis.
2. The VW will invoke the REST API call to the KEMP device.
3. The VW scans and fetches all the certificates available on the device.
4. All the discovered certificates will be imported into the AppViewX inventory.
5. If the certificate is already available in the AppViewX inventory, the discovered certificate won’t be downloaded to AppViewX.
6. The discovered certificates will be added to the certificate group ‘Production Certificates’. (Certificate group to be configured in AppViewX environment)
7. In case of any error in importing the certificate, VW will continue with the other certificates.
8. On successful/failed implementation, an email will be sent to the predefined email ID with the following data in a CSV, (email id to be configured in the magic variable)

• Newly Discovered certificate common name
• Newly Discovered certificate serial number
• Status — (‘Successfully imported’ or ‘failed’)

Conclusion:

Establishing a streamlined and efficient certificate lifecycle management process is vital. AppViewX emerges as a game-changer in this domain, offering a centralized solution that automates certificate lifecycle management processes end-to-end across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. With AppViewX, the entire certificate management process is simplified, minimizing the risks of unexpected certificate expirations, outages, and cyberattacks. Embrace the power of AppViewX today and fortify the security of your network with confidence!