The steps below must be followed in order to create a certificate in AD CS:
2. Set up an AD CS certificate authority (CA) and select the type of CA you wish to use. After installing AD CS, you must configure it. Enterprise and standalone CAs are the two different types. While enterprise CAs are advised for larger enterprises with complicated PKI requirements, standalone CAs are appropriate for smaller organizations.
3. Create a certificate template: A certificate template is a collection of guidelines and options that specify a certificate’s features. You have the option of creating your own unique certificate template or using one of AD CS’s pre-built designs.
4. Create a certificate and issue it: After creating a certificate template, you can either use PowerShell or the AD CS management console to create a certificate. The user, computer, or service name for whom the certificate is being issued must be entered, along with the relevant certificate template.
How does the Certificate Enrollment Web Service work? Through a web-based interface called Certificate Enrollment Web Service (CEWS), individuals and devices can make requests for and enroll in digital certificates. By offering a user-friendly interface and automating many of the enrolling procedures, CEWS streamlines the enrollment procedure. In large businesses with many of users and devices that need certificates, CEWS is frequently employed.
The X.509 certificate is the one that is most frequently used in contemporary PKI. Use of the X.509 standard for digital certificates is widespread in email clients, web browsers, and other software programs. Digital signatures, encryption, and authentication are all possible using X.509 certificates.
By launching the AD CS management console and checking the status of the CA and certificate services, you may determine whether AD CS is operational. By using the Get-Service cmdlet and looking for the status of the AD CS-related services, you can also use PowerShell to examine the state of AD CS. Where In Active Directory Are Certificates Stored?
In the Active Directory database, certificates are kept in a unique attribute called userCertificate. The userCertificate attribute of the user or computer object for which the certificate was issued stores the certificate when it is issued. In the AD database, AD CS also keeps certificate revocation lists (CRLs), which are used to determine whether a certificate has been revoked.