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Server Certificate Renewal

Overview

Server certificates are the means by which your organization is recognized and authorized to conduct business with the Federal Reserve Banks for certain critical payment and information services. These certificates expire every three years, but the renewal process should be started about 120 days in advance of the expiration and completed within 90 days of the expiration to ensure continuation of access.

If your server certificate expires, you will be unable to process transactions or files via the FedLine Command® and FedLine Direct® Solutions. In order to allow your organization to meet this deadline and avoid future service disruptions, we strongly encourage you to begin this process as soon as possible to allow time for testing and validation.

An End User Authorization Contact (EUAC) is responsible for coordinating the renewal on behalf of your organization, though other technical contacts should also be engaged throughout the process.

Please review the steps below to help ensure a successful server certificate renewal.

150 days in advance, notification of upcoming expiration. 120 days in advance, submit server certificate request form(s). 90 days in advance, complete install and testing.

Get Started

An EUAC should:

  1. Assemble an internal technical team

    An internal technical team should include an Information Security contact, operations support contact, network contact and a System Administrator.

    A System Administrator may be needed to:
    • Maintain backups of your server certificates
    • Download and install the certificates
    • Re-point your IBM® MQ Queue Manager or IBM Sterling Connect:Direct® Node from the current certificate to the new one and test connectivity to the Federal Reserve Banks.

      Note: If you do not have someone on staff with these skills, you will need to enlist the assistance of a vendor.
  2. Submit Server Certificate Request Form(s)

    Identify the certificates your organization needs to renew and submit the applicable form(s). This information was provided to your institution’s EUAC via email and can also be obtained by contacting the Support Center. We encourage you to renew all expiring certificates on the same timeline to streamline the renewal process. These forms may also be used to revoke certificates that are no longer used.
  3. Coordinate installation and schedule testing

    Once the renewal forms are received, a FedLine Direct Project Manager will contact your organization’s EUAC to:
    • Review the renewal process
    • Provide technical documents via encrypted email ahead of your certificate installation(s). This document should be shared with your internal technical team.
    • Schedule a testing day with your institution’s internal technical team

Your institution’s internal technical team should:

  1. Implement all required infrastructure changes

    Your organization is responsible for making all infrastructure changes required to implement and maintain connectivity. Due to the wide diversity of customer networks, the Federal Reserve Banks cannot provide specific guidance regarding the design of your organization’s infrastructure, which includes IBM MQ software for Fedwire® customers, IBM MQi for FedNow customers, and IBM Connect:Direct® for FedACH®, Check 21 Large File Delivery customers, and DDS (Data Delivery Service) customers.
  2. Ensure software compatibility

    Your organization must maintain supported versions of IBM MQ, IBM MQi, and/or IBM Connect:Direct. Your organization could experience a loss of connectivity to the Federal Reserve Banks if all applicable software updates are not made prior to the renewal process. Please contact the Support Center for a list of compatible software versions.
  3. Download, install and test the new certificates

    Review the technical documents (shared with your EUAC via email) and download the new certificate(s) according to the certificate renewal section immediately before or during the scheduled testing conference call.

    The following will be conducted on the day of testing:
    • FedLine Direct Message Customers: Validate connectivity by initiating a “round trip message” from your institution to the Federal Reserve.
      • The “round trip message” for Fedwire® may be executed via an automated script provided by the Federal Reserve Bank or manually with the assistance of Federal Reserve Bank staff.
    • FedLine Direct File Customers: Validate connectivity with CDVER messages and by confirming successful receipt and transmission of test files between your institution and the Federal Reserve Bank.
    • Once installed, ensure appropriate backup files of both the current and new (renewed) certificate(s) exist.

Support

The Federal Reserve is committed to assisting your organization through the renewal process. Please review our list of frequently asked questions, or contact the Support Center if you have questions about the renewal process.

“IBM” is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
“Connect:Direct” is a registered trademark of IBM International Group B.V., an IBM Company.

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