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Monthly Archives: January 2019

Let’s Encrypt – Installing Free Trusted SSL Certificates on Windows Server Automatically

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Ever get tired of paying for another certificate to use on a new server? Let me introduce you to Let’s Encrypt and show you how easy it is to install and maintain free, trusted certificates on your Windows machines.

Another free and trusted certificate from Let’s Encrypt

How does Let’s Encrypt work?

First, a bit of background information. Let’s Encrypt is completely free and trusted by every major CA. Like other open projects, it is donor supported. Donors include Cisco, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla.

When a certificate is issued, it is valid for just 90 days. And I know what you are thinking – “90 days, I’ll be replacing certificates all of the time!”

With Let’s Encrypt, the entire process – from requesting to renewal – is designed to be automated! Once setup, certificate management should be just another task that occurs in the background, automatically. Automation can be achieved a few ways. For a Windows machine, my preferred method is to use the Win Acme tool.

How to Use Win Acme with Let’s Encrypt

Originally, I used a PowerShell script to do this but found that the Win Acme tools were easier to use. The tools can be downloaded from here.

Once the .ZIP has been downloaded, extract it to a server needing a certificate. If you plan on using it on several severs, store it on a share and use Group Policy File Preferences to deploy it.

Next, ensure that the server is publicly accessible through HTTP by using the full name that you need a certificate for. Certificates have to be verified before being issued; verification using a DNS name for the host is one of the supported methods. In the screenshot, you can see that I have an HTTPS binding for letsencrypt.deployhappines.com on an IIS server. You would also want to make sure that the name is accessible over port 80. You can read about other validation methods here.

On the server, launch an elevated command prompt and run letsencrypt.exe /? 

For a single IIS site, you would want to press N to create a new certificate and then 1. After pressing 1, you should see a list of sites available on your server. Because the server in this screenshot already had a certificate, I was not prompted to configure any notifications settings or accept the EULA.

Continue through the prompts until the certificate is installed. Win-acme should automatically load the certificate into the Web Hosting certificate store for the server and bind it in IIS. To see it immediately, you can restart your site in IIS. Additional options are available if you need to install a certificate for other server roles, such as Exchange or RDS.

Finally, you should see a new win-acme scheduled task in Task Scheduler. This task will automatically renew and replace your certificates when they are near expiration.

So, what do you think about Let’s Encrypt? Do you currently use it? Do you want to use it?

Master of Science in IT: 1 Year, $5200

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The cost of college is crazy! It isn’t like you can get paid to get a 4-year college degree. And don’t even think about a graduate program. That would take years to complete and cost $20,000+. Right?

Wrong.

By using some of the same steps from the article linked above, you can take a multi-year program down to a single year and pay less than six thousand dollars.

Step 1 – List Cheap Colleges to Attend

Graduate degrees are a bit harder to compare on price because you often have to find this data from each college and find hidden costs like fees. With a 4-year degree, we were able to use College Scorecard (a Department of Education tool). As far as I know, there isn’t a central unbiased comparison tool for graduate degrees.

Start your search for online programs for colleges in your state; the tuition will likely be cheaper. Your state’s Univeristy System or Department of Education will likely have a list of degrees and some basic information. In Georgia, we have a couple of great options:

If you do not have a good option in your state, look into fully online colleges – such as Western Governors University. In all of these cases, the tuition cost will be a good bit less than the total cost that you spend.

Step 2- Cut the Extra Cost

Fees and books can take your $7,000 degree and make it a $10,000 degree. Fees are often charged on a term basis. Complete your degree quicker, and you will pay a lot less.[note]I am filled with all kinds of insightful information.[/note]

For example, Middle Georgia charges $300 a term in fees. A typical degree would take six terms to complete (2 classes a term / 3 terms a year).

Take three classes a term, and you save two term’s worth of fees. Your two year degree is now finished in a year and a half.

Take four classes a term, and you cut the fees in half. Your two-year degree is now finished in a year. This is the route that I took; which also explains the slowness on this blog last year. 🙂

Cutting the cost of books is also fairly easy. Get the course syllabus early, even if you have to email the professor a term ahead of schedule. Now, you know what books that you need, and you have plenty of time to get them. Here are a few ways to get your college books cheaper:

  • Set a CamelCamelCamel alert for the book.
  • Check your college’s library and the state library system. See if your state has an online library. I was able to check out many books from GALILEO.
  • Request an evaluation copy from the publisher. These are often available for free and normally an option for your most expensive/newest books.

Step 3- Pay for College the Right Way

If at all possible, do not take out student loans to pay for your degree. Even if you have to delay starting your degree for a year or two, you will often come out better if you pay for the cost upfront.[note]Of course, compare the costs of any expected raises when comparing how long to wait.[/note]

This may come as a shock, but the cheapest way to get a Master’s is to have someone else pay for it.

Your Employer Wants to Help

Private employers can provide up to $5000 per calendar year to cover tuition, and they are receiving tax savings for doing this. By staggering your terms across calendar years, your entire cost could be zero!

Public employees, such as those in the education sector, can often take advantage of tuition reimbursement. In Georgia, this is true for many University System employees.

Definitely take the time to email your HR or Benefits person in your company to find out about any programs that might be offered.

Uncle Sam Wants to Help

The Federal Government wants a well-educated workforce – so much that they will cover 20% of the cost up to $10,000 but only if you pay upfront. This program is called the Lifetime Learning Credit and is a bit different than the other tax credit that was used to cover the cost of a 4-year degree. Be sure to read up on that credit as there are a few conditions (notably an income cap).

A Bank Wants to Help

If you are paying the cost upfront, you will have some extra money sitting around. Put those bills to work in a 5% of 6% savings account. That is an extra $300 – $500 off the cost of the degree.

When you pay for tuition, use a credit card with a high cashback bonus or with a high sign-up bonus. This method took $1300 off the cost of my Master’s.[note]$800 in cash for this one. $500 in cash for this one.[/note]

Total Cost Recap

My total cost for a Master’s in IT from Middle Georgia State University was $8588.

The lifetime learning tax credit lowers that cost down to $6870.

Cashback and interest took us down to a final cost of $5200.

The joy of not having another paper due, that cost is priceless. 🙂