How to White-Label Your GeoCivix URL with a Custom Subdomain

How to White-Label Your GeoCivix URL with a Custom Subdomain 

Overview

GeoCivix offers white-labeling capabilities for clients who wish to use a custom subdomain (e.g., permits.city.gov) to access our platform. This setup ensures your users experience a seamless, branded interface while maintaining a secure and scalable connection to our multi-tenant SaaS application.

This article outlines the steps required to configure your DNS and approve the SSL certificate used to secure your custom domain.

Step 1: Choose Your Custom Subdomain

Decide on the subdomain you want to use (e.g., permits.city.gov, eplans.yourtown.gov). This subdomain will serve as the entry point for your staff and applicants to access your GeoCivix-hosted environment.

Step 2: Provide the Subdomain to GeoCivix

Send your desired subdomain to your GeoCivix project manager or support contact. We will initiate the process of requesting a secure SSL certificate through AWS Certificate Manager (ACM).

Step 3: Add the ACM DNS Validation Record

To validate ownership of the subdomain, GeoCivix will provide a DNS CNAME record generated by AWS. This record must be added to your DNS configuration.

Example DNS Record:

Host/Name: _abc123.yoursubdomain.city.gov  Type: CNAME  Value: _xyz.acm-validations.aws.

Once this record is added, AWS will validate the subdomain, and the certificate will be issued automatically.

Step 4: Point Your Subdomain to GeoCivix

After the certificate is validated, you will need to add a second DNS CNAME record to route traffic to the GeoCivix platform.

Example DNS Record:

Host/Name: yoursubdomain.city.gov  Type: CNAME  Value: d1234abcdef.cloudfront.net

Note: GeoCivix will provide you with the exact CloudFront distribution domain name for this step.

This record ensures users visiting your custom subdomain are securely routed to your hosted GeoCivix instance.

Step 5: Completion and Testing

Once both DNS records are in place:

• GeoCivix will verify the SSL certificate has been successfully issued.
• The system will be configured to accept and serve traffic for your custom domain.
• Our team will perform a validation test and notify you once the setup is complete.

FAQ

Q: Can we use a wildcard domain like *.city.gov?
A: No, GeoCivix only requests SSL certificates for the exact subdomain you approve and validate. This ensures strict domain control and security.

Q: How can we revoke access if needed?
A: You can remove the CNAME record from your DNS at any time. This will immediately stop routing traffic to GeoCivix under the custom subdomain.

Q: Will GeoCivix have access to our domain or private keys?
A: No. GeoCivix never accesses your DNS credentials or private keys. SSL certificates are managed securely by AWS, and you only approve the validation via a DNS entry.

Support

If you need assistance at any step in the process, contact GeoCivix Support at [email protected]. We're happy to walk your IT team through the configuration.