NetScaler® Console service

Use the NetScaler Console certificate store to manage SSL certificates

NetScaler Console certificate store helps you to store and manage your SSL certificates in one location. You can later use the stored certificates to configure NetScaler settings.

The certificate store allows you to add, update, and delete SSL certificates. You can also use the certificate store to import a certificate from a NetScaler instance and apply it to other targeted NetScaler instances.

Add SSL certificates to the certificate store

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store. Click Add.

  2. On the Add Certificate page, enter the following details:

    • Certkey Name - Enter a name for the certificate. The name must have only ASCII alphanumeric, underscore, and hyphen characters and must be fewer than 30 characters. You cannot change the name after the certificate is created.

    • Certificate File - Browse to your local drive and upload the certificate file.

    • Key File - Upload the key file from your local computer.

    • Password - If you have an encrypted private key in PEM format, type the passphrase that was used to encrypt the private key.

    • Add Certificate Chain - Select this option to add the certificate in a certificate chain.

    • Certificate Chain - Browse to your local drive and upload the certificate file.

    • Click Create.

Update SSL certificates in the certificate store

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store. Select the certificate that you want to update and click Update.

  2. On the Update Certificate page, enter the following details:

    • Certkey Name - Displays the name of the certificate you selected to update.

    • Certificate File - To update the certificate file, upload a certificate file.

    • Key File - To update the key file, upload a key file from your local computer.

    • Password - If you have an encrypted private key in PEM format, type the passphrase that was used to encrypt the private key.

    • Add Certificate Chain - Select this option to add the certificate in a certificate chain.

    • Certificate Chain - Browse to your local drive and upload the certificate file.

    • Click OK.

Delete SSL certificates from the certificate store

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store. Click Delete.

  2. When prompted, click Yes to delete the certificate.

Install SSL certificates on NetScaler® instances

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store. Select the certificate that you want to install on a NetScaler instance.

  2. In the Install SSL Certificate on NetScaler Instances page, enter the following details:

    a. Certificate Source

    • Certificate - Displays the name of the certificate you selected.

    b. Certificate Details

    • Certificate Name - Displays the name of the certificate.

    • Save Configuration - Select this option to save the NetScaler configuration. The NetScaler configuration is saved after the certificate is installed.

  3. Click Select Instances to select the NetScaler instances on which you want to install your certificates.

Click OK.

Import certificates from NetScaler instances

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store. Click Import NetScaler Certificates.

  2. In the Import NetScaler Certificates page, you can select one of the following tabs:

    • Import NetScaler Certificates - Click Start Polling to poll all the SSL certificates on all the NetScaler instances.
    • Select Instances - Select a NetScaler instance and click Import NetScaler Certificates to poll SSL certificates on only the selected NetScaler instance.

    After polling, the SSL certificates and key files are downloaded and added to the certificate store.

    Note:

    The import operation fails for certificates if identical certificate names exist in the store. However, the import operation continues polling the remaining certificates and adds NetScaler certificates, if available, to the store.

Update server certificates without intermediate uploads

You can renew certificates without the repetitive task of re-uploading intermediate certificates. This enhancement reduces manual workload and minimizes the risk of configuration errors.

Effortless renewals:

NetScaler Console preserves the existing certificate chain during an update by default. This ensures that your chain remains intact and valid, even when you only upload a new server-level certificate.

Key improvements:

  • Reduced complexity: Eliminates mandatory intermediate uploads during standard server certificate updates.

  • Safety first: Automatic chain preservation prevents “chain breakage”, a common cause of SSL handshake errors.

To update server certificates without intermediate uploads

  1. Navigate to Infrastructure > SSL Dashboard > Certificate Store.
  2. Select the certificate that you want to update and click Update.
  3. Overwrite Existing Certificate Chain - Select this option if your renewal requires changes to the intermediate chain:

    • With a bundle: Replaces the existing chain with the newly uploaded bundle.

    • Without a bundle: Removes the current certificate chain entirely.

  4. Add Certificate Chain - Select this option to manually upload and append intermediate certificates if they are not included in your primary server certificate file.

Examples

The final certificate structure depends on your existing certificate’s chain status and the options that you select during the update:

Scenario A: Existing certificate has no chain

Update action Result
New uploaded certificate does not include a chain The server certificate is updated. No intermediate chain is added.
New uploaded certificate includes a chain The server certificate is updated, and the new intermediate chain is attached.

Scenario B: Existing certificate has a chain

Update action Result
New uploaded certificate includes a chain (Overwrite Existing Certificate Chain is enabled) The server certificate is updated, and the existing intermediate chain is replaced with the new chain.
New uploaded certificate does not include a chain (Overwrite Existing Certificate Chain is enabled) The server certificate is updated, and the existing intermediate chain is explicitly removed.
Use the NetScaler Console certificate store to manage SSL certificates