Enabling SSL connections between the Search and Store servers (Feature Pack 7)

In order for your site to be GDPR ready, you must ensure that all customer data is encrypted during all communication, both internal and external. To secure any data transfer between store and search servers running WebSphere Commerce Feature Pack 7 and later, set up a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection between them.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have a session key. To create a session key, see Changing the session encryption key.
Ensure that your session key is synchronized between your servers. To synchronize your session key, see Synchronizing the session encryption key with WebSphere Commerce search

About this task

The local store calls the search server REST API directly. The http schema and port for this call are set in the EnvironmentSetup.jspf configuration file. Modify the configuration file as below to enable SSL between the local store and search server. The code below uses AuroraStorefrontAssetStore as an example.

Procedure

Edit the configuration file /Stores/WebContent/AuroraStorefrontAssetStore/Common/EnvironmentSetup.jspf. Locate the following code.

<c:otherwise>
            <c:set var="searchHostNamePath" value="http://${hostname}:${backendConfig.searchServerPort}"/>
            <c:set var="searchContextPath" value="${backendConfig.searchServerContextPath}"/>
        </c:otherwise>

Change the http prefix for the searchHostNamePath to https.

<c:otherwise>
            <c:set var="searchHostNamePath" value="https://${hostname}:${backendConfig.searchServerPort}"/>
            <c:set var="searchContextPath" value="${backendConfig.searchServerContextPath}"/>
        </c:otherwise>

Open the WebSphere Application Server administrative console.
In the console, navigate to Environment > Naming > Name space binding > com.ibm.commerce.foundation.server.services.search.port. Change searchServerPort into a secure port.

Results

All communications between the store and search servers are now encrypted using SSL.