Setting Up SAML 2.0 Support › How to Set Up SAML Authentication › Preparing the Security Properties File

Preparing the Security Properties File

If you plan to use encryption and digital certificates for communications between CA Performance Center and the IdP, a properties file is required. In this file, you specify the certificate to use for signing and encryption and other parameters to enable the encryption.

The SAML properties file is saved in the Single Sign-On home directory:

 /opt/CA/PerformanceCenter/sso/webapps/sso

For example, a file like this is required:

/opt/CA/PerformanceCenter/sso/webapps/sso/configuration/saml.properties

The properties file must include the following parameters:

• Directory location and filename of the signing certificate.
• Verification certificate alias and password to access the certificate.
• Hostname of the CA Performance Center server.
• Directory location and filename of the agreement that you exported from the IdP.
• The length of the timeout period that is set on the IdP. The value must match the 'SAML2 IdP Session Timeout' parameter in Single Sign-On.

Here is an example of the syntax:

# Location of the certificate used for signing SAML documents
saml.sp.certificate.location=/opt/CA/saml2configuration/[Certificate filename]
saml.sp.certificate.password=[password]
saml.sp.certificate.alias=[alias]

saml.sp.metadata.hostname=[Full Hostname of CA Performance Center server]
saml.sp.metadata.entityID=[Name of the CA Performance Center server without IP domain]
saml.sp.metadata.organizationName=[Name of your organization]
saml.sp.metadata.contactPerson=[First and last name of administrator]
saml.sp.metadata.email=[Email address of contact person]

# Location of the metadata file for the Login Site
saml.idp.metadata.file=/opt/CA/saml2configuration/[Filename].xml
# Session timeout with the IdP in minutes. Use this value for auto-reauthentication and logout requests
saml.idp.sessionTimeout=[Length of timeout period in minutes]

Whenever you modify the saml.properties file, export the metadata file (which establishes the agreement with the IdP) again. For more information, see Configure SAML 2.0 Support in Single Sign-On. You must also restart Single Sign-On.