Mastering Active Directory

Network Device Enrollment Service

Network devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls can have device certificates to verify authenticity of traffic pass through it. Majority of these devices are not domain-joined, and their operation systems are also very unique and do not support typical Windows computer functions. In order to request or retrieve certificates, it uses Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP). It allows network devices to have X.509 version 3 certificates similar to other domain-joined devices. This is important as if the devices are going to use IPSEC, it must have an X.509 version 3 certificate.