Configure Abiquo Tomcat with HTTPS for Remote RS

When the Abiquo remote services will connect to the Abiquo Server over the internet, these communications should use TLS. When users upload or download templates, they need a direct connection to the Appliance Manager remote service, and this connection must also be made with TLS.

To use TLS between the API and remote services, configure the following certificates:

• API server, default cacerts → API certificate + RS certificate

  • /usr/java/${JAVA_JDK}/lib/security/cacerts

• RS server, custom .jks keystore → API certificate + RS certificate

  • /opt/abiquo/tomcat/conf/${CERT_NAME}.jks

Import certificates on Remote RS

For a test environment, create a self-signed certificate for remote RS and import it. You can also use a wildcard certificate for your test environment.

1. Log in to the Remote Services server as an administrator

2. Go to the /etc/pki/tls/ folder

3. Copy your self-signed Remote Services certificate (and API certificate(s)), or wildcard certificate to the certs folder and your private key to the private folder

4. Convert your certificates to PCKS12 format. For a wildcard certificate, do this for each server and enter its fully qualified domain name.

   1. For the Remote services server, replace ${CERT_NAME} with your certificate name and replace ${REMOTE_SERVICES_FQDN} with the domain name of your remote RS server.

      openssl pkcs12 -export -in ${CERT_NAME}.crt -inkey ${CERT_NAME}.key -name ${REMOTE_SERVICES_FQDN} -out import_cert_key_rs

   2. For the API server, replace ${CERT_NAME} with your certificate name and replace ${ABIQUO_SERVER_FQDN} with the domain name of your Abiquo API server.

      openssl pkcs12 -export -in ${CERT_NAME}.crt -inkey ${CERT_NAME}.key -name ${API_SERVER_FQDN} -out import_cert_key_server

5. Go to the /opt/abiquo/tomcat/conf folder

6. Create a .jks keystore with the same name as the hostname of your Remote services server. The following keystore configuration is suitable for a test environment only.

   keytool -genkey -keyalg RSA -keystore {CERT_NAME}.jks -keysize 2048

7. Import the Remote services certificate into the keystore for Tomcat to use

8. Import the API server certificate into the keystore for Tomcat to use

Verify API server location path on remote RS server

Check that your Remote RS server has the correct API path set.

1. Log in to the Remote RS server as an administrator

2. View the Abiquo properties file at

3. If the abiquo.server.api.location property is not set to a value with https and no port number, then edit the file and update it.
   For example, abiquo.server.api.location=https://myapiserver.bcn.abiquo.com/api.

Define a new HTTPS connector in remote RS Catalina

On the Remote RS server, edit the Tomcat server configuration file at:

Replace the current remote RS Catalina connector for port 8009 with a new connector.

The important values to change are:

• keystoreFile - e.g. use the host name of your remote RS server

• keystorePass - use a secure password

• keyAlias - you must use the domain name of your remote RS server

Also configure the other parameters according to your environment.

Import remote RS certificates on Abiquo server

Log in to the API server that will connect to the remote RS via HTTPS as administrator.

Import the Remote RS certificate, for example, for the default cacerts keystore in a test environment.

If you are using a self-signed certificate, also import your CA certificate.

Enable SSL proxy for Apache

For AM connections to work with TLS (for template upload and download), check or enable SSL proxy for Apache.

1. Log in the API/UI server as an administrator.

2. Edit the Apache configuration at /etc/httpd/conf.d/abiquo.conf.

3. In the Apache virtual host configuration, add the following.
   
   

Apply and verify

At this point all configurations are done.

1. On the servers where you have made changes (Remote RS and Abiquo server), restart abiquo-tomcat services

2. On the Abiquo server, restart the Apache httpd service

3. If you are using a self-signed certificate in a test environment, accept the Remote RS certificates.

   1. In your browser, open a connection to the remote RS server using the port. For example, this could be: https://remoters.bcn.abiquo.com:8009/

   2. Go to Advanced and accept the risk.

4. Log in to Abiquo as a cloud administrator and add your remote RS using the https protocol and port 8009

For Tomcat TLS troubleshooting, see Apache Tomcat 9 (9.0.98) - SSL/TLS Configuration How-To