Using AWS for the first time.

Zen Load Balancer - SSL

Just want to share what I did to add an HTTPS farm to my Zen LB install.


Zen Load Balancer is an excellent Debian Linux based load balancer installer. 




 If you have a decent spare PC, give a try.  I plan on deploying it to a pair small form xeon rackmounts in front of my web application server farm.

In testing, I discovered I had used incorrect certificate (the build in one), once I applied correct cert and tried again, all was well.

I hope someone finds this useful.

- Lou

Login on to Zen LB at console or using Putty ssh client

I create a folder to hold my keys and csr's.  I will later remove them and store else where since key will be created without a password.

Generates key in PEM format  using openssl command. Done this way so password not required

openssl genrsa -out host_domain_com.key 2048

Generate certificate request file.

openssl -new -key host_domain_com.key -out host_domain_com.csr

I purchased cert from namecheap.com  

Positive SSL already good to go certs are in PEM format

Rapid SSL  Need to convert to PEM  (each file, cert, intermediate and root)

After you get your certificate and intermediate certificate, be sure to get  issuers root certificate.

All certs need to be in PEM format  (Issued Cert, Intermediate cert and root cert)

To convert cert to PEM Format use openssl command.  RapidSSL certs were already in PEM format (contrary to what I read in FAQ)

openssl x509 -in certFileName.cer -outform PEM -out convertedCertFileName.pem

When done you will have your private key,  the certificate issued to you, an intermediate certificate and root cert.

Open Notepad and paste contents of each file one after the other in the following order

Private Key

Cert

Intermediate

Root

Example :

-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

uiMTxBQnK9ApC5eq1mrBooECgYB4925pDrTWTbjU8bhb/7BXsjBiesBBVO43pDYL

1AOO5EEikir239UoFm6DQkkO7z4Nd+6Ier9fncpN1p1EZtqPxT64nsUTNow/z1Pp

nUVxhqt4DT+4Vp5S7D9FQ+HagbhVInQXKXtT7FNFhpIxpRy512ElSuWvrELiZOwe

-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----

wYDVR0fBDwwOjA4oDagNIYyaHR0cDovL3JhcGlkc3NsLWNybC5n

ZW90cnVzdC5jb20vY3Jscy9yYXBpZHNzbC5jcmwwHQYDVR0OBBYEFA8nu+rbiNqg

DYmhNE0IgXx6XRHiMAwGA1UdEwEB/wQCMAAwSQYIKwYBBQUHAQEEPTA7MDkGCCsG

gOYD8kmKOsxLRWeZo6Tn8

-----END CERTIFICATE-----

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----

EgYDVR0TAQH/BAgwBgEB/wIBADA6BgNVHR8EMzAxMC+gLaArhilodHRwOi8vY3Js

Lmdlb3RydXN0LmNvbS9jcmxzL2d0Z2xvYmFsLmNybDA0BggrBgEFBQcBAQQoMCYw

JAYIKwYBBQUHMAGGGGh0dHA6Ly9vY3NwLmdlb3RydXN0LmNvbTANBgkqhkiG9w0B

-----END CERTIFICATE-----

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----

MIIDIDCCAomgAwIBAgIENd70zzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADBOMQswCQYDVQQGEwJV

UzEQMA4GA1UEChMHRXF1aWZheDEtMCsGA1UECxMkRXF1aWZheCBTZWN1cmUgQ2Vy

dGlmaWNhdGUgQXV0aG9yaXR5MB4XDTk4MDgyMjE2NDE1MVoXDTE4MDgyMjE2NDE1

jOKer89961zgK5F7WF0bnj4JXMJTENAKaSbn+2kmOeUJXRmm/kEd5jhW6Y

7qj/WsjTVbJmcVfewCHrPSqnI0kBBIZCe/zuf6IWUrVnZ9NA2zsmWLIodz2uFHdh

1voqZiegDfqnc1zqcPGUIWVEX/r87yloqaKHee9570+sB3c4

-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Intraweb ISAPI DLL on Server 2008

In my case I have Windows 2008 Server setup as a webserver choosing the defaults on installation.

I tested first with Application and then with Stand alone service before attempting DLL

When my app loads, in servercontroller create event, I goto registry and get location of .ini file which is c:\DMXTRANSPORT Be sure to open registry as read only to avoid error.

The .ini file contains various settings I use for the app whether stand alone, service. I do this as a result of reading about it in a post in the Intraweb support newsgroups. It allows various app settings such as port number , file paths, database configuration, installation code/keys etc...

I created folder dmxportal on c:\

In that folder I have temp, files, and templates sub-folders Copy ISAPI DLL into that folder

I am logged in as Admin and did not adjust permissions, though you may need to add the iis user to that folder

Goto IIS Manager and Rt click on Default website and Virtual Directory – in my case its DMXPORTAL

Enable ISAPI DLL on IIS Server in ISAPI and CGI Restrictions

Be sure to check the box

Then enable the ISAPI-dll in Handler Mappings on the virtual folder by selecting it and in the IIS properties open Handler Mappings, select ISAPI-DLL (should be on top of screen) in disabled section. Rt click and select Edit Feature Permissions. Enable Execute with check mark

That’s it You should then be able to load your isapi dll

I had an issue and just restarted IIS and it worked.

http:///virtualfolder/isapi.dll

I also add my isapi DLL as the default document so I can just use http://server/folder to launch app.

There may be a bit more permission twiddling necessary to get your local files folder to work, but its probably just giving the IISUser rights to the folders.

On vacation...sort of

I decided it was time to take a few weeks off work (yes in the middle of this great economic crisis) and go to the Dominican Republic and visit family and friends.

I have been a here a few days so far and I managed to connect with the Local Rotary Club of Bani, District 4060 http://www.rotary4060.org . I had originally planned on attending the club meeting next week. It turned out that a neighbor of my parents is member of the Club here in Bani. So, on Saturday evening, I joined several Rotarians from Bani, at another local Rotary Club in San Juan de Ocoa where the District Governer was visiting to make a special presentation honoring two women for their outstanding work in the community. The club also welcomed two two new members to the club that same evening.

Below are a few photos from the event. Including one with the District Governor Milqueya Portes, the first woman to be District Governor in the Dominican Republic (I need to confirm, but also the first woman to be a club president) as well as a photo of the District Governer with the two special award recipients.





I will be visiting some of the local Rotary Clubs projects later in the week and will be post more photos.

Delphi 2006 CF .Net Development

I am looking for Delphi 2006 users who are interested in creating simple applications for Windows Mobile devices using Delphi 2006 .Net and the Compact Framework.

I have been following developments at http://jedqc.blogspot.com/ and have gotten started with the CFBuild: Delphi 2006 Version (beta).

My next step is to get past the basic Hello world app and create something that stores data to the PDA, followed by how I can synch that data with a PC based database via ODBC. I use DBISAM and Firebird for PC app development.

Anyone interested, just leave a comment here with any suggestions, links etc....

A day in the life......

Well,

Here I am ... officially a blogger. Being a technofile I decided it was time to finally going the masses and publish my thoughts and experiences, though I hope to not cause a rucuss in the process.