Example: SSL Certificate - Generate a Key and CSR (2024)

Important: This example is intended to provide general guidance to ITprofessionals who are experienced with SSL requirements and configuration. The procedure described in this article is just one of many available methods you can use to generate the required files. The process described here should be treated as an example and not as a recommendation.

When you configure Tableau Server to use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, this helps ensure that access to the server is secure and that data sent between Tableau Server and Tableau Desktop is protected.

Looking for Tableau Server on Linux? See Example:SSLCertificate - Generate aKey and CSR(Link opens in a new window).

Tableau Server uses Apache, which includes OpenSSL(Link opens in a new window). You can use the OpenSSLtoolkit to generate a key file and Certificate Signing Request (CSR) which can then be used to obtain a signed SSLcertificate.

Note:Beginning in Tableau Server versions 2021.3.26, 2021.4.21, 2022.1.17, 2022.3.9, 2023.1.5, and later, Tableau Server runs OpenSSL 3.1.

Steps to generate a key and CSR

To configure Tableau Server to use SSL, you must have an SSL certificate. To obtain the SSLcertificate, complete the steps:

1. Set the OpenSSL configuration environment variable (optional).
2. Generate a key file.
3. Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR).
4. Send the CSR to a certificate authority (CA) to obtain an SSLcertificate.
5. Use the key and certificate to configure Tableau Server to use SSL.

You can find additional information on the SSL FAQ page(Link opens in a new window) on the Apache Software Foundation website.

Configure a certificate for multiple domain names

Tableau Server allows SSL for multiple domains. To set up this environment, you need to modify the OpenSSL configuration file, openssl.conf, and configure a Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificate on Tableau Server. See For SAN certificates: modify the OpenSSL configuration file below.

Generate a key

Generate a key file that you will use to generate a certificate signing request.

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator, and navigate to the Apache directory for Tableau Server. For example, run the following command:

   cd C:\Program Files\Tableau\Tableau Server\packages\apache.<version_code>\bin

2. Run the following command to create the key file:

   openssl.exe genrsa -out <yourcertname>.key 4096

   Notes:

   • This command uses a 4096-bit length for the key. You should choose a bit length that is at least 2048 bits because communication encrypted with a shorter bit length is less secure. If a value is not provided, 512 bits is used.
   • To create PKCS#1 RSA keys with Tableau Server versions 2021.3.26, 2021.4.21, 2022.1.17, 2022.3.9, 2023.1.5, and later, you must use the additional option -traditional when running openssl genrsa" command based on the OpenSSL 3.1. For more information about the option, see https://www.openssl.org/docs/man3.1/man1/openssl-rsa.html(Link opens in a new window).

Create a certificate signing request to send to a certificate authority

Use the key file you created in the procedure above to generate the certificate signing request (CSR). You send the CSR to a certificate authority (CA) to obtain a signed certificate.

Important: If you want to configure a SAN certificate to use SSL for multiple domains, first complete the steps in For SAN certificates: modify the OpenSSL configuration file below, and then return to here to generate a CSR.

1. Run the following command to create a certificate signing request(CSR)file:

   openssl.exe req -new -key yourcertname.key -out yourcertname.csr

   If you did not set the OpenSSL configuration environment variable, OPENSSL_CONF, you might see either of the following messages:

   • An error message about the config information being unable to load. In this case, retype the command above with the following parameter: -config ..\conf\openssl.cnf.

   • A warning that the /usr/local/ssl directory cannot be found. This directory does not exist on Windows, and you can simply ignore this message. The file is created successfully.

   To set an OpenSSL configuration environment variable, see Set the OpenSSL configuration environment variable (optional) section in this article.

2. When prompted, enter the required information.

   Note: For Common Name, type the Tableau Server name. The Tableau Server name is the URL that will be used to reach the Tableau Server. For example, if you reach Tableau Server by typing tableau.example.com in the address bar of your browser, then tableau.example.com is the common name. If the common name does not resolve to the server name, errors will occur when a browser or Tableau Desktop tries to connect to Tableau Server.

Send the CSR to a certificate authority to obtain an SSL certificate

Send the CSR to a commercial certificate authority (CA) to request the digital certificate. For information, see the Wikipedia article Certificate authority(Link opens in a new window) and any related articles that help you decide which CA to use.

Use the key and certificate to configure Tableau Server

When you have both the key and the certificate from the CA, you can configure Tableau Server to use SSL.For the steps, see Configure External SSL.

For SAN certificates: modify the OpenSSL configuration file

In a standard installation of OpenSSL, some features are not enabled by default. To use SSL with multiple domain names, before you generate the CSR, complete these steps to modify the openssl.cnf file.

1. Open Windows Explorer and browse to the Apache conf folder for Tableau Server.

   For example: C:\Program Files\Tableau\Tableau Server\packages\apache.<version_code>\conf

2. Open openssl.cnf in a text editor, and find the following line: req_extensions = v3_req

   This line might be commented out with a hash sign (#) at the beginning of the line.

   

   If the line is commented out, uncomment it by removing the # and space characters from the beginning of the line.

3. Move to the [ v3_req ] section of the file. The first few lines contain the following text:

   # Extensions to add to a certificate request
basicConstraints = CA:FALSE
keyUsage = nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment

   After the keyUsage line, insert the following line:

   subjectAltName = @alt_names

   If you’re creating a self-signed SAN certificate, do the following to give the certificate permission to sign the certificate:

   1. Add the cRLSign and keyCertSign to the keyUsage line so it looks like the following: keyUsage = nonRepudiation, digitalSignature, keyEncipherment, cRLSign, keyCertSign

   2. After the keyUsage line, add the following line: subjectAltName = @alt_names

4. In the [alt_names] section, provide the domain names you want to use with SSL.

   DNS.1 = [domain1]
DNS.2 = [domain2]
DNS.3 = [etc]

   The following image shows the results highlighted, with placeholder text that you would replace with your domain names.

   

5. Save and close the file.

6. Complete the steps in Create a certificate signing request to send to a certificate authority section, above.