Federation › Federation Security Services Guide › Manage the Key Database for Signing and Encryption › SmKeyDatabase Overview

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SmKeyDatabase Overview

The smkeydatabase is a key store used for signing, verification, encryption, and decryption between a SiteMinder consuming authority and a SiteMinder producing authority. This key store resides on the same system where a Policy Server is installed.

The following illustration shows the location of the key store in a SiteMinder federated network.

Note: The SPS federation gateway can replace the Web Agent and Web Agent Option Pack to provide the SiteMinder Federation Web Services application functions. For information about installing and configuring the SPS federation gateway, see the CA SiteMinder Secure Proxy Server Administration Guide.

You can store multiple private keys in the smkeydatabase. If you have multiple federated partner, you can use a different private key for each partner.

To create and modify the smkeydatabase, you must use SiteMinder’s smkeytool utility.