EOC and HTTPS

Security is always a good thing when it comes to websites and confidential information. When a website uses Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), it can be more vulnerable to attacks vs. using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Security (HTTPS) which is HTTP integrated with the Secure Socket Layer (SSL). It is the SSL which encrypts the HTTP data before sending it to the destination. One of the main advantages of HTTPS is that the information is sent encrypted from the source to the destination. HTTP does not have this functionality. The SolarWinds EOC website allows users to utilize HTTPS thus securing transmissions from the webserver to the end user.

The following explains how to configure HTTPS on Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2012 for the EOC website:

To enable SSL Connections to the SolarWinds EOC web site in Windows Server 2003:

1. Log on as an administrator to your SolarWinds EOC server.
2. Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management.
3. Expand Services and Applications > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager > Web Sites.
4. Click SolarWinds EOC and then click Action > Properties.
5. Click the Web Site tab.
6. Confirm that SSL port is set to 443.
7. Click Advanced.
8. If the Multiple SSL identities for this Web site field does not list the IP address for the SolarWinds Web Console with SSL port 443, complete the following steps:

a.   Click Add and then select the IP address of the SolarWinds Web Console.

1. • As it was set initially in the Configuration Wizard, this option is usually set to (All Unassigned). If the IP address of the SolarWinds Web Console was not initially set to (All Unassigned), select the actual, configured IP address of the SolarWinds Web Console.

b.   Type 443 as the TCP port, and then click OK.

   9. If you want to accept only HTTPS connections, complete the following steps:

1. 1. Click the Directory Security tab.
   2. Click Edit in the Secure communications section.
   3. Select Require secure channel (SSL).
   4. Select Accept client certificates in the Client certificates area.
   5. Click OK on the Secure Communications window.

  10. Click Apply and then click OK to exit.

To enable SSL Connections to the SolarWinds EOC web site in Windows Server 2008:

1. Log on as an administrator to your SolarWinds EOC server.
2. Click Start > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
3. In the Connections pane, expand the name of your SolarWinds EOC server, and then expand Sites.
4. Select your SolarWinds EOC web site, and then click Bindings in the Actions pane on the right.
5. Click Add in the Site Bindings window.
6. In the Type field, select https, and then confirm that the Port value is 443.
7. In the SSL Certificate field, select a certificate, and then click OK.
8. Click Close on the Site Bindings window.
9. In the center pane, double-click SSL Settings in the IIS group.
10. Select Require SSL, and then click Apply in the Actions pane on the right.
11. In the Connections pane, select your SolarWinds EOC web site.
12. Click Restart in the Manage Web Site group on the right.

To enable SSL Connections to the SolarWinds EOC web site in Windows Server 2012:

1. Log on as an administrator to your SolarWinds EOC server.
2. Click Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
3. In the Connections pane, expand the name of your SolarWinds EOC server, and then expand Sites.
4. Select your SolarWinds EOC web site, and then click Bindings in the Actions pane on the right.
5. Click Add in the Site Bindings window.
6. In the Type field, select https, and then confirm that the Port value is 443.
7. In the SSL Certificate field, select a certificate, and then click OK.
8. Click Close on the Site Bindings window.
9. In the center pane, double-click SSL Settings in the IIS group.
10. Select Require SSL, and then click Apply in the Actions pane on the right.
11. In the Connections pane, select your SolarWinds EOC web site.
12. Click Restart in the Manage Web Site group on the right.