# When do I need --server-cert-fingerprint?
**URL:** https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [July 1, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132 "2023-07-01T00:54:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tessus](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/tessus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/1 "2023-07-01T00:54:44Z")
I connected from a Linux box to my repo server with `kopia repository connect server --url https://kopia:443` and it worked without any issues.
So here are my 2 questions:
- why would I have to specify `--server-cert-fingerprint`, if it worked without it? so when is this fingerprint needed?
- after rebooting, the repository was still connected. how? I never created a systemd unit file, nor did I add a script that runs at startup. this is great. I just don’t understand how this is possible.
P.S.: The documentation is also wrong: It states:
```auto
$ kopia repository status
kopia: error: operation supported only on direct repository, try --help
```
This is not the case. I am getting the following on my client:
```auto
# kopia repository status
Config file: /root/.config/kopia/repository.config
Description: API Server: https://kopia:443
Hostname: cator01ps
Username: root
Read-only: false
Format blob cache: 15m0s
```
---
### Author:  [@budy](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/budy)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/2 "2023-07-01T16:12:48Z")
I think that using a secured connection is the default with Kopia and you must specifically chose to not use a secure connection on the repo server.
As for your 2nd question, always remember, that Kopia (remote client) doesn’t pertain a persistent connection to the remote repo. Being “connected” means, that there is a valid repository config in place. The KC usually stores this in ~/.config/kopia on UNIX-like systems, unless you specifiy it otherwise. A reboot won’t remove these files, so Kopia Client can still connect to the remote repo after a reboot. If you want to invalidate the connection, user `kopia repo disconnect`, or remove the config files.
---
### Author:  [@tessus](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/tessus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/3 "2023-07-01T16:34:31Z")
Thanks for the reply, but I don’t understand what your statement has to do with my question:
> [@budy](#):
>
> I think that using a secured connection is the default with Kopia and you must specifically chose to not use a secure connection on the repo server.
I am creating a secure connection, since I am connecting to `https://` so I am still not sure, why or when I would need the fingerprint. Because I didn’t specify it, despite it always been mentioned in all docs, but it worked without it.
> [@budy](#):
>
> Being “connected” means, that there is a valid repository config in place.
Ah, this makes sense now. Cheers
---
### Author:  [@tessus](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/tessus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/4 "2023-07-01T17:52:57Z")
> [@tessus](#):
>
> `--server-cert-fingerprint`
I figured it out. I ran a bunch of tests.
# The fingerprint is only needed for self-signed certs, whose CAs are not in the operating system’s trust store.
* * *
Kopia is a great piece of software and I am impressed how nicely it works. But the documentation is probably one of the worst I have ever seen. It’s outdated, inconsistent, the command line reference only shows a verbatim copy of the `--help` page, but no explanations whatsoever. (e.g. what values can I use for an argument)
The only way to figure out how Kopia really works is to spend hours and hours for trial and error.
---
### Author:  [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/5 "2023-07-01T17:56:14Z")
Fully agree. It is very nice piece of software and had great start but now seems stalled.
---
### Author:  [@tessus](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/tessus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/6 "2023-07-01T18:19:58Z")
Yep, I think this project might be dead. The dev doesn’t merge any PRs and the only commits in the past months are dependency updates.
I will monitor this project for another year. If nothing changes, I’ll switch to something that is actively developed.
---
### Author:  [@kapitainsky](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/kapitainsky)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/7 "2023-07-01T18:27:21Z")
The same - thought initially that it can be my fav backup software - but since then I changed mind. However good initial design and implementation without ongoing dev it rots. For backups I need something solid - does not even have to be funky.
---
### Author:  [@ChrisA](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/ChrisA)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/8 "2023-07-08T12:07:01Z")
@tessus
would you mind to add it to the documentation? It’s straightforward and will help others having the same issue.
Cheers,
---
### Author:  [@tessus](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/tessus)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2023, 8:26pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/9 "2023-07-08T20:26:43Z")
I would add it to the doc, if there was any indication that this project wasn’t dead. I am not going to waste my time beating a dead horse. (see my previous comment)
I think the community needs assurance what is happening with this project. I am already looking for alternatives, even though I really like kopia. But there is no use in entrusting my data to an unmaintained product.
---
### Author:  [@jit010101](https://kopia.discourse.group/u/jit010101)
#### Post date: [September 20, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://kopia.discourse.group/t/when-do-i-need-server-cert-fingerprint/2132/10 "2023-09-20T19:11:56Z")
thanks for that insight - otherwise would’ve wasted a lot of time myself here …