---
title: "Fortanix DSM with AppViewX On-Premises"
slug: "fortanix-dsm-with-appviewx-on-premises"
updated: 2026-04-01T11:36:04Z
published: 2026-03-18T08:21:15Z
canonical: "support.fortanix.com/fortanix-dsm-with-appviewx-on-premises"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.fortanix.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fortanix DSM with AppViewX On-Premises

## 1.0 Introduction

The integration between **AppViewX** and **Fortanix-Data-Security-Manager (DSM)** helps enterprises overcome the challenges brought by managing private keys in a complex infrastructure. AppViewX acts as the automation and orchestration engine for the lifecycle management of X.509 certificates, and Fortanix DSM ensures the security of the private keys associated with those certificates in the cloud, on-premises or as a hybrid solution.

## 2.0 Prerequisites

Ensure that Fortanix provides the following files for PKCS#11 integration:

- `fortanix_pkcs11.so` - The PKCS#11 shared library. This can be downloaded from [*Fortanix DSM PKCS#11 Client Software*](https://fortanix.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/sections/4408769080724-PKCS-11).
- `pkcs11.conf` - A text configuration file provided with the library that specifies how the PKCS#11 library connects to Fortanix DSM.

The following is a sample `pkcs11.cong` file:

```bash
api_endpoint = "<ENDPOINT URL>" or "<ENDPOINT IP>"  # default is "https://apps.smartkey.io"
retry_timeout_millis = xxxxxx # Example 60000
[log]
system = true      # Unix only, logs to syslog
file = "/path/to/log/file"
```

## 3.0 Integrating Fortanix HSM with AppViewX On-Premises

The following are the steps to integrate Fortanix DSM with AppViewX on-premises:

1. Copy the files `fortanix_pkcs11.so` and `pkcs11.conf` to the AppViewX nodes where the `avx_vendors` plugin is enabled.
2. Place the `fortanix_pkcs11.so` file in the `/opt/fortanix/pkcs11/` directory.
3. In the AppViewX nodes where the `avx_vendors` plugins are enabled, navigate to the AppViewX install and properties directory. Edit the properties file and enter the value for the key `FORTANIX_PKCS11_LIBRARY_PATH` as follows:

```bash
FORTANIX_PKCS11_LIBRARY_PATH = /opt/fortanix/pkcs11/fortanix_pkcs11.so
```
4. Place the `pkcs11.conf` file in the `/etc/fortanix` directory.
5. Once the above-mentioned steps are executed, restart the plugins and the gateway using the following command:

```bash
avx --restart plugins
avx --restart gateway
```
6. Once the Components are up and running, navigate to the **AppViewX GUI**, login, and navigate to **Inventory** → **Device** → **HSM**.

![AppViewXGUI.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/c3bd85d2-4ad8-4d85-9f60-f1c168a3aad9/Images/Documentation/appviewxgui.png)

**Figure 1: AppViewX GUI**
7. Select Fortanix HSM and click **Configure Now** or **+**,
  1. Enter the **Name** and select the **Data center**.
  2. Provide the **API Key** and any user-defined **Key handler name**.
  3. Click **Save**.

Once saved, if the integration is completed successfully, you will see a pop up in the UI with a message indicating that the HSM settings have been saved successfully.

Fortanix Data Security Manager (DSM) is the world’s first cloud service secured with Intel® SGX. With Fortanix DSM, you can securely generate, store, and use cryptographic keys and certificates, as well as other secrets such as passwords, API keys, tokens, or any blob of data. Your business-critical applications and containers can integrate with Fortanix DSM using legacy cryptographic interfaces (PKCS#11, CNG, and JCE) or using the native Fortanix DSM RESTful interface.

## Related

- [Overview](/fortanix-key-insight-overview.md)
- [Fortanix DSM with Microsoft SQL Server TDE - Before You Begin](/fortanix-dsm-with-microsoft-sql-server-tde-integration-before-you-begin.md)