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Getting started

Getting started: your first certificate

From the installation to a public ACME certificate that TLSPilot deploys to an IIS website and renews by itself, in 8 steps.

8 steps · 8 tutorials
  1. 1

    Quick path: your first certificate

    This page takes you the shortest way from the installation to a public ACME certificate that TLSPilot deploys to an IIS website and renews by itself. Each step points to the chapter with the details.

    Quick path: your first certificate
    Community Edition Walkthrough Tutorial 01b · 12:01
  2. 2

    System requirements

    Windows Server x64 (a Windows client operating system is also possible) and elevated rights. The management host must reach the license server, the ACME provider and the API of your DNS provider.

    3.1 Management host3.3 Network connectivity
  3. 3

    Setup

    Download TLSPilot from https://tlspilot.com, run the installer and click Close. The Initial Setup Wizard starts automatically.

    4.1 Setup
    Setup Tutorial 01 · 1:04
  4. 4

    Initial Setup Wizard

    Without a One-Time Key, the free Community license is activated (two certificates, ACME only). Switch on Let’s Encrypt and, optionally, enter an operations mailbox as ACME contact email. Keep the Daily cycle time at night. Click Finalize.

    4.2 Initial Setup Wizard
    Initial Setup Wizard Tutorial 02 · 15:32
  5. 5

    After the setup and the Dashboard

    After the wizard, the Desktop Admin console opens with the dashboard. It shows the state of TLSPilot at a glance and is the starting point for all tasks.

    4.3 After the setup4.4 The TLSPilot Dashboard
  6. 6

    First certificate

    New Certificate → Source: ACME and the ACME provider you switched on → Names: Common Name and SANs → Settings: DNS-01, your DNS provider and a DNS credential (Manage…); keep Profile and the renewal window → Issue now → Finish.

    Only internal clients? Use the Private CA or the Enterprise CA.

    5.3 ACME certificate (AC)5.1 Private CA (PC)5.2 Enterprise CA (EC)
    ACME certificate Tutorial 05 · 4:06Private CA certificate Tutorial 03 · 5:33Enterprise CA certificate Tutorial 04 · 2:03
    Tip · For a first test, select Staging as ACME environment. Staging certificates are not trusted by browsers, so switch to Production for real use.
  7. 7

    First deployment

    Double-click the certificate, switch on Automatic deployment, click Add… and add an IIS deployment with its WinRM credential.

    6.1 Local store6.2 IIS
    Local Store Tutorial 09 · 7:30IIS Tutorial 10 · 2:52
  8. 8

    Keep it renewing

    All renewals and deployments run in the daily cycle. Check Health and Next action in the certificate list. From the Standard edition, create an alert for failed renewals and expiring certificates.

    7.1 Deployment & health cycle7.8 Where you see the state

Next: browse the Knowledge Base or watch all Tutorials.