Application definitions

Use this information to learn what DCM application definitions are and how to work with them for SSL configuration and object signing.

There are two types of application definitions that you can manage in Digital Certificate Manager (DCM):

Client or server application definitions that use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communication sessions.
Object signing application definitions that sign objects to ensure object integrity.

To use DCM to work with SSL application definitions and their certificates, the application must first be registered with DCM as an application definition so that it has a unique application ID. Application developers register SSL-enabled applications by using an API (QSYRGAP, QsyRegisterAppForCertUse) to create the application ID in DCM automatically. All IBM^® iSeries™ SSL-enabled applications are registered with DCM so that you can easily use DCM to assign a certificate to them so that they can establish an SSL session. Also, for applications that you write or purchase, you can define an application definition and create the application ID for it within DCM itself. You must be working in the *SYSTEM certificate store to create an SSL application definition for either a client application or a server application.

To use a certificate to sign objects, you first must define an application for the certificate to use. Unlike an SSL application definition, an object signing application does not describe an actual application. Instead, the application definition that you create might describe the type or group of objects that you intend to sign. You must be working in the *OBJECTSIGNING certificate store to create an object signing application definition.