Manage certificates for Software Defined Networking

Applies to: Azure Stack HCI, versions 22H2; Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016

This article describes how to manage certificates for Network Controller Northbound and Southbound communications when you deploy Software Defined Networking (SDN) and when you use System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) as your SDN management client.

If you aren't using Kerberos for securing the Network Controller communication, you can use X.509 certificates for authentication, authorization, and encryption.

SDN in Windows Server 2019 and 2016 Datacenter supports both self-signed and Certification Authority (CA)-signed X.509 certificates. This topic provides step-by-step instructions for creating these certificates and applying them to secure Network Controller Northbound communication channels with management clients and Southbound communications with network devices, such as the Software Load Balancer (SLB).

When you use certificate-based authentication, you must enroll one certificate on Network Controller nodes that is used in the following ways.

1. Encrypting Northbound Communication with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) between Network Controller nodes and management clients, such as System Center Virtual Machine Manager.
2. Authentication between Network Controller nodes and Southbound devices and services, such as Hyper-V hosts and Software Load Balancers (SLBs).

Creating and enrolling an X.509 certificate

You can create and enroll either a self-signed certificate or a certificate that is issued by a CA.

The certificate configuration must include the following values.

• The value for the RestEndPoint text box must either be the Network Controller Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or IP address.
• The RestEndPoint value must match the subject name (Common Name, CN) of the X.509 certificate.

Creating a self-signed X.509 certificate

You can create a self-signed X.509 certificate and export it with the private key (protected with a password) by following these steps for single-node and multiple-node deployments of Network Controller.

When you create self-signed certificates, you can use the following guidelines.

• You can use the IP address of the Network Controller REST Endpoint for the DnsName parameter - but this isn't recommended because it requires that the Network Controller nodes are all located within a single management subnet (for example, on a single rack)
• For multiple-node Network Controller deployments, the DNS name that you specify will become the FQDN of the Network Controller Cluster (DNS Host A records are automatically created.)
• For single node Network Controller deployments, the DNS name can be the Network Controller's host name followed by the full domain name.

Multiple node

You can use the New-SelfSignedCertificate Windows PowerShell command to create a self-signed certificate.

Syntax

New-SelfSignedCertificate -KeyUsageProperty All -Provider "Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider" -FriendlyName "<YourNCComputerName>" -DnsName @("<NCRESTName>")

Example usage

New-SelfSignedCertificate -KeyUsageProperty All -Provider "Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider" -FriendlyName "MultiNodeNC" -DnsName @("NCCluster.Contoso.com")

Single node

You can use the New-SelfSignedCertificate Windows PowerShell command to create a self-signed certificate.

Syntax

New-SelfSignedCertificate -KeyUsageProperty All -Provider "Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider" -FriendlyName "<YourNCComputerName>" -DnsName @("<NCFQDN>")

Example usage

New-SelfSignedCertificate -KeyUsageProperty All -Provider "Microsoft Strong Cryptographic Provider" -FriendlyName "SingleNodeNC" -DnsName @("SingleNodeNC.Contoso.com")

Creating a CA-signed X.509 certificate

To create a certificate by using a CA, you must have already deployed a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS).

Creating a certificate with a CA includes the following steps.

1. You or your organization's Domain or Security Administrator configures the certificate template.
2. You or your organization's Network Controller Administrator or SCVMM Administrator requests a new certificate from the CA.

Certificate configuration requirements

While you configure a certificate template in the next step, ensure that the template you configure includes the following required elements.

1. The certificate subject name must be the FQDN of the Hyper-V host
2. The certificate must be placed in the local machine personal store (My – cert:\localmachine\my)
3. The certificate must have both Server Authentication (EKU: 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1) and Client Authentication (EKU: 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2) Application policies.

To configure the certificate template

1. On the server where AD CS is installed, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Certification Authority. The Certification Authority Microsoft Management Console (MMC) opens.
2. In the MMC, double-click the CA name, right-click Certificate Templates, and then click Manage.
3. The Certificate Templates console opens. All of the certificate templates are displayed in the details pane.
4. In the details pane, click the template that you want to duplicate.
5. Click the Action menu, and then click Duplicate Template. The template Properties dialog box opens.
6. In the template Properties dialog box, on the Subject Name tab, click Supply in the request. (This setting is required for Network Controller SSL certificates.)
7. In the template Properties dialog box, on the Request Handling tab, ensure that Allow private key to be exported is selected. Also ensure that the Signature and encryption purpose is selected.
8. In the template Properties dialog box, on the Extensions tab, select Key Usage, and then click Edit.
9. In Signature, ensure that Digital Signature is selected.
10. In the template Properties dialog box, on the Extensions tab, select Application Policies, and then click Edit.
11. In Application Policies, ensure that Client Authentication and Server Authentication are listed.
12. Save the copy of the certificate template with a unique name, such as Network Controller template.

To request a certificate from the CA

You can use the Certificates snap-in to request certificates. You can request any type of certificate that has been preconfigured and made available by an administrator of the CA that processes the certificate request.

Users or local Administrators is the minimum group membership required to complete this procedure.

1. Open the Certificates snap-in for a computer.
2. In the console tree, click Certificates (Local Computer). Select the Personal certificate store.
3. On the Action menu, point to** All Tasks, and then click **Request New Certificate to start the Certificate Enrollment wizard. Click Next.
4. Select the Configured by your administrator Certificate Enrollment Policy and click Next.
5. Select the Active Directory Enrollment Policy (based on the CA template that you configured in the previous section).
6. Expand the Details section and configure the following items.
7. Ensure that Key usage includes both Digital Signature **and **Key encipherment.
8. Ensure that Application policies includes both Server Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1) and Client Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2).
9. Click Properties.
10. On the Subject tab, in Subject name, in Type, select Common name. In Value, specify Network Controller REST Endpoint.
11. Click Apply, and then click OK.
12. Click Enroll.

In the Certificates MMC, click on the Personal store to view the certificate you have enrolled from the CA.

Export and copy the certificate to the SCVMM library

After creating either a self-signed or CA-signed certificate, you must export the certificate with the private key (in .pfx format) and without the private key (in Base-64 .cer format) from the Certificates snap-in.

You must then copy the two exported files to the ServerCertificate.cr and NCCertificate.cr folders that you specified at the time when you imported the NC Service Template.

1. Open the Certificates snap-in (certlm.msc) and locate the certificate in the Personal certificate store for the local computer.
2. Right-click the certificate, click All Tasks, and then click Export. The Certificate Export Wizard opens. Click Next.
3. Select Yes, export the private key option, click Next.
4. Choose Personal Information Exchange - PKCS #12 (.PFX) and accept the default to Include all certificates in the certification path if possible.
5. Assign the Users/Groups and a password for the certificate you're exporting, click Next.
6. On the File to export page, browse the location where you want to place the exported file, and give it a name.
7. Similarly, export the certificate in .CER format. Note: To export to .CER format, uncheck the Yes, export the private key option.
8. Copy the .PFX to the ServerCertificate.cr folder.
9. Copy the .CER file to the NCCertificate.cr folder.

When you're done, refresh these folders in the SCVMM Library and ensure that you have these certificates copied. Continue with the Network Controller Service Template Configuration and Deployment.

Authenticating Southbound devices and services

Network Controller communication with hosts and SLB MUX devices uses certificates for authentication. Communication with the hosts is over OVSDB protocol while communication with the SLB MUX devices is over the WCF protocol.

Hyper-V host communication with Network Controller

For communication with the Hyper-V hosts over OVSDB, Network Controller needs to present a certificate to the host machines. By default, SCVMM picks up the SSL certificate configured on the Network Controller and uses it for southbound communication with the hosts.

That is the reason why the SSL certificate must have the Client Authentication EKU configured. This certificate is configured on the “Servers” REST resource (Hyper-V hosts are represented in Network Controller as a Server resource), and can be viewed by running the Windows PowerShell command Get-NetworkControllerServer.

Following is a partial example of the server REST resource.

   "resourceId": "host31.fabrikam.com",
      "properties": {
        "connections": [
          {
            "managementAddresses": [
               "host31.fabrikam.com"
            ],
            "credential": {
              "resourceRef": "/credentials/a738762f-f727-43b5-9c50-cf82a70221fa"
            },
            "credentialType": "X509Certificate"
          }
        ],

For mutual authentication, the Hyper-V host must also have a certificate to communicate with Network Controller.

You can enroll the certificate from a Certification Authority (CA). If a CA based certificate isn't found on the host machine, SCVMM creates a self-signed certificate and provisions it on the host machine.

Network Controller and the Hyper-V host certificates must be trusted by each other. The Hyper-V host certificate's root certificate must be present in the Network Controller Trusted Root Certification Authorities store for the Local Computer, and vice versa.

When you're using self-signed certificates, SCVMM ensures that the required certificates are present in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities store for the Local Computer.

If you use CA based certificates for the Hyper-V hosts, you need to ensure that the CA root certificate is present on the Network Controller's Trusted Root Certification Authorities store for the Local Computer.

Software Load Balancer MUX communication with Network Controller

The Software Load Balancer Multiplexor (MUX) and Network Controller communicate over the WCF protocol, using certificates for authentication.

By default, SCVMM picks up the SSL certificate configured on the Network Controller and uses it for southbound communication with the Mux devices. This certificate is configured on the "NetworkControllerLoadBalancerMux" REST resource and can be viewed by executing the PowerShell cmdlet Get-NetworkControllerLoadBalancerMux.

Example of MUX REST resource (partial):

      "resourceId": "slbmux1.fabrikam.com",
      "properties": {
        "connections": [
          {
            "managementAddresses": [
               "slbmux1.fabrikam.com"
            ],
            "credential": {
              "resourceRef": "/credentials/a738762f-f727-43b5-9c50-cf82a70221fa"
            },
            "credentialType": "X509Certificate"
          }
        ],

For mutual authentication, you must also have a certificate on the SLB MUX devices. This certificate is automatically configured by SCVMM when you deploy software load balancer using SCVMM.

Network Controller and the SLB MUX certificates must be trusted by each other (the SLB MUX certificate's root certificate must be present in the Network Controller machine Trusted Root Certification Authorities store and vice versa). When you're using self-signed certificates, SCVMM ensures that the required certificates are present in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities store for the Local Computer.