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GSA - enable optional HTTPS?

Is there a way on a Google Search Appliance to enable optional https?

Under settings, under the heading Force secure connections when serving the options are:

  • No.
  • Use HTTPS when serving secure results, but not when serving public results.
  • Use HTTPS when serving both public and secure results.

I don't want to Force secure connections though, I want them to be optional. ie, if someone requests the site as HTTP it serves as HTTP and if they request it as HTTPS it serves as HTTPS.

If I choose the 1st or 2nd options it accepts connections on HTTPS but immediately redirects to HTTP (ie, it forces HTTP). And the 3rd option forces HTTPS.

Is there any other settings that would enable it to accept HTTPS optionally?

Solution

    1. You must install a valid ssl certificate or create a self-signed certificate. (Administration->SSL Settings)

    2. In SSL Settings->Other Settings->"Force secure connections when serving?" you must select either: 'a' or 'b'

      a. "Use HTTPS when serving secure results, but not when serving public results."

      b. "Use HTTPS when serving both public and secure results."

    Unless all requests are coming from https, chances are you will select 'a'.

    If 'b' is selected, you will receive an "unknown error" if sending query over standard http.

    Now here's the major caveat:

    Your observation that https still redirects to http, even with 'a' selected, is correct. The only method that I am aware of to force SSL when serving results with option 'a' is to send the additional 'access' query parameter '&access=a'

    'a'=all

    'p'=public (default)

    https://www.google.com/support/enterprise/static/gsa/docs/admin/72/gsa_doc_set/xml_reference/request_format.html#1087053

    BEWARNED: Depending on how your GSA is configured, there may be privacy implications if your organization maintains public collections containing private urls requiring authentication. URLS that require auth will be served right along with the rest of your results.