Enable HTTPS for an HTTP Server Instance

Published: 2024-05-14

Requirements

• TLS/SSL already configured on the IBM i.
• User profile with *IOSYSCFG and *SECADM authority
• *ADMIN HTTP Server instance to be started
• Web browser access to IBM i on port number TCP port 2001
• DCM Application ID used when creating the DCM Application during TLS/SSL setup

Open HTTP server Instance Editor

To begin, verify that the *ADMIN HTTP server job is running with the following command:

WRKSBSJOB SBS(QHTTPSVR)

If you don’t see *ADMIN in the list, please run the following command to start it:

STRTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(*ADMIN)

After you’ve ensured that the *ADMIN server is running, open a web browser (Microsoft Edge or Chrome is recommended), and go to http://[youribmiserver]:2001/HTTPAdmin - you should see a login page as seen below:

Select the "Manage" and "HTTP Servers" tabs in the top left hand part of the window after logging in.

From the drop down box just below the "Manage" tab select the server you wish to enable for HTTPS

In the left hand part of the window, expand the "Tools" menu and select "Edit Configuration File" from the available options. An editor window will appear on the right hand side.

Add TLS-SSL Config Entries

On the second line of the configuration, paste the following value:

LoadModule ibm_ssl_module /QSYS.LIB/QHTTPSVR.LIB/QZSRVSSL.SRVPGM

Scroll down the configuration data until the "Listen *...." is reached. Edit this line to:

Listen *:443

Edit the following values and paste on the line AFTER the "Listen *:443" entry above. QIBM_HTTP_SERVER should be replaced with the DCM Application ID used to setup SSL on the IBM i.

<VirtualHost *:443>
   SSLEngine On
   SSLAppName QIBM_HTTP_SERVER
   SSLProtocolDisable SSLv3 TLSv1 TLSv1.1
</VirtualHost>

Click "OK" or "Apply" at the bottom of the editor window to save these settings.

Restart the server and attempt to connect once again using HTTPS instead of HTTP in the address bar. For example:

The above URL should display the following JSON in the browser window:

{ "Error": "No authorization token received" }

This indicates that the connection via HTTPS has been successful!