Certificate Template Versions

Version 1 certificate templates support general certificate needs and provide compatibility with clients and issuing CAs running Windows 2000 operating systems. Version 1 templates are installed by default during CA setup and cannot be deleted. The only property that can be modified on a version 1 template is the set of assigned permissions that controls access to the template.

Enrollment options

• Automatic enrollment
  
  
  • Custom scripts
    
    
  • Automatic certificate request settings in Group Policy can be used only for computer certificates
    
    
• Manual enrollment
  
  
  • Certificates snap-in
    
    
  • CA Web enrollment pages
    
    

Template availability

• Windows Server 2008 R2, all editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2008, all editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2003 R2, all editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2003, all editions
  
  
• Windows 2000 Server, all editions
  
  

Version 2 certificate templates were introduced in Windows Server 2003 and can be configured by an administrator to control the way certificates are requested, issued, and used. Version 2 templates provide support for certificate autoenrollment.

Enrollment options

• Automatic enrollment
  
  
  • Autoenrollment in Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP Professional
    
    
  • Custom scripts
    
    
• Manual enrollment
  
  
  • Certificate Enrollment Wizard
    
    
  • CA Web enrollment pages
    
    

Template availability

• Windows Server 2008 R2, all editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2008, Enterprise and Datacenter editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise and Datacenter editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2003, Enterprise and Datacenter editions
  
  

In addition to version 2 template features and autoenrollment, version 3 certificate templates provide support for Suite B cryptographic algorithms. Suite B was created by the U.S. National Security Agency to specify cryptographic algorithms that must be used by U.S. government agencies to secure confidential information.

Template availability

• Windows Server 2008 R2, all editions
  
  
• Windows Server 2008, Enterprise and Datacenter editions