Restriction: This topic applies only when the Enterprise Server feature is enabled.
CAs issue different kinds of certificates, differing in what kind of checks the CA has made on the owner and consequently what purpose the certificate serves - in what roles it guarantees the owner as trustworthy. For example:
- Typically, a CA issues its own root CA machine with a self-signed root certificate
- If you are the owner of a Web site accessed by the general public, you can request a server identification certificate (server certificate for short), confirming to your clients the identity of your server
- If you are engaged in business-to-business communications (B2B), you will probably want a client certificate, confirming the identity of your site
Exactly what the certificate certifies - in other words, its purpose - is stated in the certificate.
