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We are moving from an OSCommerce website to a Magento website on a different server but with the exact same domain name.

The OSCommerce site has a SHA-1 SSL cert with goDaddy which I will change to a SHA-2 cert once I Re-Key it. As far as I can see I first need to generate a new CSR from our new server and then Re-Key our SSL cert

1. What is the best process to follow when doing this so that I don't loose the SSL cert on either site/server? Should I wait until we point our domain to our new server?

2. Is it possible to test a https connection on our new Magento site before rekeying the cert?

UPDATE

Thanks for the answers, I'm concerned about not having SSL on the new site imidiatly after launch. Is there anyway I can have it immediately?

Below are the steps I believe I should take to get SSL up on the new site, can these be improved?

1 - Update DNS records to point to new Server.

2 - Generate CERTIFICATE SIGNING REQUEST (CSR) from new Server.

3 - Re-Key SSL Cert which includes uploading new CSR.

4 - Wait for new SSL Cert to be approved. How long is this normally?

5 - Download new SSL cert and place on new server.

6 - Update NGINX configuration, restart NGINX server.

7 - Turn SSL on from Magento Admin Panel.

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2 Answers 2

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  1. As already explained you can run both servers simultaneously as long as you don't revoke the old cert.

  2. You can test the new https by getting both servers set up as in 1. Then modify your hosts file so your computer thinks the website is located at the new server. Don't modify the DNS records so everyone else still gets the original server. When you visit the site, you'll get the new server and be able to develop and test things (including the cert).

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  • Do you know if there is anyway I can move the SSL cert to the new server without loosing downtime on it on either the old site or after the new site launches? I've updated my question with the steps I believe I should take, but am unsure if they are correct.
    – Holly
    Commented Oct 8, 2015 at 9:31
  • I get what you mean now. modify host file and put SSL cert & CSR files on both servers. makes sense. Going to try it on Monday.
    – Holly
    Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 10:22
  • Great, it definitely does work if you get the steps right as I've done it many times before. Good luck :)
    – Luke Cousins
    Commented Oct 9, 2015 at 11:08
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    it worked - I wonder why godaddy say you can't do this? They even say you must re-key ssl when you move server on there help page
    – Holly
    Commented Oct 12, 2015 at 15:21
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  1. In Response to #1, as long as you don't "revoke" the previous SSL certificate at Godaddy, it will continue to work so long as you don't change any configuration options on the server. If you wait until you point the domain to the new server to submit a new SSL cert request, then you'll likely be without a cert for a period of time while the new cert gets approved.

  2. You won't be able to test the https connection using the new cert on a different server, because it will be tied to the original domain name which will continue to host your old site. You could test the cert if you're going to use the original server by moving the magento site to a subfolder in the root webserver directory, and switching out to the new SSL cert.

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  • thanks so if I understand correctly there is no way to avoid time without an SSL cert? I've updated my question with the steps I believe I should take, could you give me your opinion on these?
    – Holly
    Commented Oct 8, 2015 at 9:29
  • I got speaking with someone in goDaddy who said there was now way I could avoid this, that I would be without SSL on the new server for a couple of hours while I go through the process.
    – Holly
    Commented Oct 8, 2015 at 17:16
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    The person at GoDaddy is incorrect. You can actually have the same certificate on multiple servers at the same time as long as you have the same key files. You don't even need to regenerate or worry about revoking, just use the same files on both servers. The the certificate files are not linked to a specific server in any way. Hope that makes sense.
    – Luke Cousins
    Commented Oct 8, 2015 at 20:39

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