Apache SNI / SSL / virtual hosts

Apache supports SNI
Starting with Debian Squeeze, the Apache server supports an SSL protocol extension called Server Name Indication (SNI). This extension allows the browser to send the hostname of the web server during the establishment of the SSL connection, much earlier than the HTTP request itself, which was previously used to identify the requested virtual host among those hosted on the same server (with the same IP address and port). This allows Apache to select the most appropriate SSL certificate for the transaction to proceed.
Before SNI, Apache would always use the certificate defined in the default virtual host. Clients trying to access another virtual host would then display warnings, since the certificate they received didn't match the website they were trying to access. Fortunately, most browsers now work with SNI; this includes Microsoft Internet Explorer starting with version 7.0 (starting on Vista), Mozilla Firefox starting with version 2.0, Apple Safari since version 3.2.1, and all versions of Google Chrome.
The Apache package provided in Debian is built with support for SNI; no particular configuration is therefore needed, apart from enabling name-based virtual hosting on port 443 (SSL) as well as the usual port 80. This is a simple matter of editing /etc/apache2/ports.conf so it includes the following:
<IfModule mod_ssl.c>
    NameVirtualHost *:443
    Listen 443
</IfModule>
Care should also be taken to ensure that the configuration for the first virtual host (the one used by default) does enable TLSv1, since Apache uses the parameters of this first virtual host to establish secure connections, and they had better allow them!