If you evaluating System Center 2012 and want to test Orchestrator or App Controller with Windows Azure IaaS you need certificate for management purpose. One of the best way for test environment is self-signed certificate. How to create it? Use Certificate Creation Tool (MakeCert).
MakeCert isn’t part of Windows operating system. It’s distributed with Windows SDK (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/hh852363) or Visual Studio (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=255934). Standalone tool you can download form TechNet Gallery http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Certificate-Creation-tool-5b7c054d.
Below syntax create self-signed management certificate for Windows Azure.
makecert.exe -n "CN=Azure Management, O=Company Name" -pe -ss My -sr CurrentUser -r -a sha1 -sp "Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider" -sy 24 -sky exchange -len 2048
Your certificate will created in Certificetes Store in Personal container in Current User node.
Next steps? Just export your certificate with public key (.cer) and also with private key (.pfx) using MMC console with Certificates Snap-in.
