Compile vcert for AIX

[yavin06]

BUSINESS PROBLEM
We have a significant number of AIX systems that would benefit greatly by having the vcert tool available for scripting and certificate management automation. Right now there is not an efficient "pull" method from AIX without writing a bunch of our own code/scripts. Having vcert on AIX would allow us to standardize our methods for "pull" access across multiple platforms.

PROPOSED SOLUTION
Compile vcert for AIX

CURRENT ALTERNATIVES
Write our own code/scripts to integrate with TPP

VENAFI EXPERIENCE
About a year. Use it everyday as we're building the integrations

[yavin06]

SOrry.. forgot to add this: submitted idea request : https://community.venafi.com/ideas/compile-vcert-tool-for-aix-1868

[BeardedPrincess]

@yavin06

Can you provide some additional detail around the versions and architectures of AIX that would be required?

Also, have you attempted to compile vCert for AIX yourself? Curious if there are any lessons learned from that which we could leverage to expedite the investigation.

[yavin06]

Hi @BeardedPrincess ,
We're running aix 7.1 and 7.2 on Power 7, 8, 9, and 10.

I have not tried to compile it myself yet. I'm not really familiar with GO.

Thanks!

[yavin06]

I've been trying to see if I can get this compiled, but I'm running into issues with pulling down all the dependencies. trying to figure out how to get go to pull through a proxy

[yavin06]

Hi @BeardedPrincess,
Finally got something working, but only for AIX 7.2.. I added a target to the Makefile
`build_aix: get

•   env GOOS=aix     GOARCH=ppc64 go build $(GO_LDFLAGS) -o bin/aix/vcert             ./cmd/vcert`
  

I also had to change the versions of a couple of the module dependencies:
github.com/spf13/afero v1.11.0
github.com/spf13/viper v1.18.2

I'm not much of a developer and no nothing about go, but I was able to build an executable doing this.

I'm not sure how to test, but I was able to get a credentials and run a playbook. Is there any other tests you can think of that i should try.
Also when i try to run the vcert tool on aix 7.1, it returns nothing.... no error or anything.. i cant even run vcerrt --help

[yavin06]

SO aix 7.1 is working as well.. the problem was between the keyboard and the chair..
Let me know if there is anything else i should test?

[BeardedPrincess]

@yavin06 .. thanks for the PR #422

I am meeting with the release team tomorrow, and will look to include this in the next release. In the meantime, keep us posted as to the results of your testing efforts.