Config JBoss AS7 with SSL behind an Apache2 Http Server

Question

I have got a JEE JBoss AS7.1.1 Server. In this Server two web app's are running. One of it is a public weblog. Access for everyone. The other one is a private app to write the content. This one requires a formbased login, handled by the jboss.

Now I want to use SSL to encrypt the connection only to the private webapp.

The incoming user requests should be handled by the apache2 Server, while listening on port 80 and 443. I have read to use the proxy mod for forwarding the requests to the jboss.

What I have to do to config the ssl part? Is it enough to activate / configure ssl in the jboss config? Or do I have only to configure the apache2 server or both in combination?

What is the best way?

I hope someone can give me some tipps To solve my Problem.

Thanks!

Answer 1

You dont need to configure SSL on the JBoss side of things although, in my opinion it is easier to do so since Java keystore files dont require you have OpenSSL installed but creating a cert for Apache does. (maybe Keystore Explorer could get around this but I havent tried)

What I usually do is configure SSL on the Apache side of things (using mod_ssl) and then use mod_proxy to forward to an internal HTTP (or AJP) port. NOTE: You also need mod_ajp only if you have more than one JBoss running in a cluster, which also requires your app know how to handle a clustered session.

I wrote an old article on how to do it using the older JBoss 3.x: http://thegreenoak.blogspot.com/2011/05/jboss-load-balanced-cluster-on.html