Introduction

When getting to know a new customer and network as part of my day job, I generally find that one of two things are true. Either they don't have a CA server, or they do, but it isn't being used for anything yet. Most folks know that certificates are upcoming and in demand and that new technologies are released all the time that require a fairly large use of certificates. Technologies such as Lync, SharePoint, System Center, DirectAccess, or even just building a website almost always require the use of a certificate in today's world. Jumping into a project to deploy almost any new system these days will quickly bring you to the realization that a knowledge of certificates is becoming mandatory. Even in places where they aren't required, they are usually still recommended in order to make the solution more secure or to adhere to best practices.

Together, we are going to build a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) environment inside our network and use it for some common certificate...