A certification authority (CA) system is required anytime a business wants the ability to create digital certificates in-house on their own. There are several different options available to fit with needs of an organization, while still providing access to manage, control, and create digital certificates for a variety of purposes and functions. For instance, some businesses decide to purchase a software solution in order to install it onto a server and operate an internal CA system. Other businesses may not have the resources needed to pursue this option, so they opt for a managed service or a shared solution. Both of these options grant access to a CA system, either offered as a service, or as a dedicated hosted or shared solution.
Decide What Types of Certificates You Want to Create With Your Certification Authority System
After you have selected the type of certification authority system solution you want to implement at your business, your next step is to determine the kinds of certificates you want to create. You can create digital certificates to help improve security for your organization as part of two factor authentication processes. You are also able to issue certificates for use with public key infrastructure to create secure connections over public networks using SSL processes. You may even decide you want to switch to electronic-based authorizations for purchase orders, contracts and other binding documents, in an effort to become more environmentally friendly, and will need to create digital certificates that contain encrypted digital signatures.