DOCUMENT:Q216922 10-AUG-2001 [iis] TITLE :Certificate Server Does Not Create Backups of Installed Keys PRODUCT :Internet Information Server PROD/VER:winnt:1.0,4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Certificate Server version 1.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= Certificate Server does not create backups of installed keys. If you intend to use the certificate to encrypt persistent data such as e-mail, then you should ensure that some form of back up protects the private key for that certificate. If the key is unprotected, and is subsequently unavailable, then you will be unable to decrypt data encrypted with the certificate. MORE INFORMATION ================ The functions of a Certificate Server can be summarized as follows: - Receive certificate requests. - Create certificates from the requests it receives. - Distribute or publish certificates. - Publish Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs). Some applications, which encrypt persistent data such as e-mail, have an additional requirement to archive private keys of encryption certificates. This is to ensure a users access to the data in the event that they become unavailable. If that event occurs, the user can request a copy of the private key from the archive. Exchange Advanced Security has an additional service, the Key Manager Server (KMS), which performs this role. Microsoft CSPs store the private keys in the registry. If Roaming profiles are used, then the Windows NT infrastructure provides resilience for the private keys. If Roaming profiles are not available, or a third-party CSP is used that does not use the registry to store keys, separate provisions should be made to back up the keys. Additional query words: Certificate, Back-up, S/MIME ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbCertServSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbCertServ100 Version : winnt:1.0,4.0 Issue type : kbinfo ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.