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Cert-manager

Overview

Cert-manager is a crucial component of the ALTERNATIVE platform's security infrastructure, responsible for automating the management of SSL/TLS certificates. This powerful tool ensures that all communications within and to the platform remain encrypted and secure, playing a vital role in maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.

Key Features

  1. Automated Certificate Management: Cert-manager handles the entire lifecycle of SSL/TLS certificates, from issuance to renewal, without manual intervention.

  2. Integration with Let's Encrypt: Leverages the free, automated, and open Certificate Authority to provide trusted certificates.

  3. Kubernetes Native: Designed to work seamlessly within the Kubernetes ecosystem, aligning with the platform's cloud-native architecture.

  4. Support for Multiple Issuers: While primarily configured with Let's Encrypt, cert-manager can work with various certificate issuers.

  5. Certificate Rotation: Automatically handles certificate rotation before expiration, ensuring continuous secure communication.

How Cert-manager Works

  1. Certificate Request: When a new service is deployed or a certificate is near expiration, cert-manager detects the need for a new certificate.

  2. ACME Challenge: Utilizes the ACME protocol to prove control over the domain to Let's Encrypt.

  3. Certificate Issuance: Once validated, Let's Encrypt issues the certificate, which cert-manager then stores as a Kubernetes secret.

  4. Distribution: The certificate is automatically distributed to the relevant services and ingress controllers.

  5. Monitoring and Renewal: Cert-manager continuously monitors certificate expiration dates and initiates the renewal process when necessary.

Benefits for the ALTERNATIVE Platform

  • Enhanced Security: Ensures all platform communications are encrypted, protecting sensitive research data.
  • Reduced Administrative Overhead: Eliminates the need for manual certificate management, freeing up resources for core platform development.
  • Scalability: Easily manages certificates for multiple services and domains as the platform grows.
  • Compliance: Helps maintain compliance with data protection regulations by ensuring data in transit is always encrypted.

Configuration and Management

Cert-manager is configured declaratively through Kubernetes custom resources:

  • Issuer/ClusterIssuer: Defines how cert-manager should request certificates.
  • Certificate: Describes the desired X.509 certificate.
  • CertificateRequest: A one-shot request for a certificate, typically managed automatically.

Administrators can monitor cert-manager's operations through Kubernetes logs and events, ensuring smooth operation of this critical security component.