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Sajan_Mania_381's avatar
Sajan_Mania_381
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Feb 19, 2019

What is the difference between SAN and SNI SSL certificates?

Can someone please explain me the difference between these certificates in a simplified way with example ? In which scenario these servers are used ?

 

2 Replies

  • There is no SNI certificates. It is not a certficate name. SNI stands for Server Name Indication and is an extension of the TLS protocol. It indicates which hostname is being contacted by the browser at the beginning of the 'handshake' process. This technology allows a server to connect multiple SSL Certificates to one IP address and gate.

     

     

    On the other hand, SAN is the name of a certificate type. A Subject Alternate Name (or SAN) certificate is a digital security certificate which allows multiple hostnames to be protected by a single certificate. A SAN certificate may also be called a multi-domain certificates.

     

  • At the sametime, if you issue a SAN certificate, to any particular web URL, chrome issues you a warning certificate, to proceed with which, you need to click go to advanced. You can try to get rid of it if you add that URL in the trusted list of URLs.