Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Core Business Services

Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI)

A Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) implements a methodology, based on the concepts and technology of public-key cryptography, for supporting data security services throughout an enterprise network. As this definition implies, a PKI supports these data security services as part of a common security infrastructure that is implemented throughout the enterprise.

OpenEdge supports elements of a PKI with its implementation of a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) (see Chapter 5 "Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI)"). This chapter describes the basic PKI concepts and terminology used both to define SSL and to describe the OpenEdge implementation of SSL throughout the OpenEdge documentation set.

This chapter summarizes these basic PKI concepts in the following sections:

Core security services in a PKI
Cryptography in a PKI
Trust relationships and supporting mechanisms

For more information on SSL, cryptography, and PKI in general, and how they can affect the design and development of OpenEdge applications, see the “Security” white paper prepared by Progress Marketing, which can be found on the PSDN Web site.

Caution: Use of a PKI in any network environment can have significant performance impacts. Be certain that you need the security that a PKI supports before you choose to design and build PKI support into any of your application networking.