apache 2.2 - Multiple SSL domains on the same IP address and same port?

This is a Canonical Question about Hosting multiple SSL websites on the same IP.

I was under the impression that each SSL Certificate required it's own unique IP Address/Port combination. But the answer to a previous question I posted is at odds with this claim.

Using information from that Question, I was able to get multiple SSL certificates to work on the same IP address and on port 443. I am very confused as to why this works given the assumption above and reinforced by others that each SSL domain website on the same server requires its own IP/Port.

I am suspicious that I did something wrong. Can multiple SSL Certificates be used this way?

Answer

For the most up-to-date information on Apache and SNI, including additional HTTP-Specific RFCs, please refer to the Apache Wiki

---

FYsI: "Multiple (different) SSL certificates on one IP" is brought to you by the magic of TLS Upgrading.
It works with newer Apache servers (2.2.x) and reasonably recent browsers (don't know versions off the top of my head).

RFC 2817 (upgrading to TLS within HTTP/1.1) has the gory details, but basically it works for a lot of people (if not the majority).
You can reproduce the old funky behavior with openssl's s_client command (or any "old enough" browser) though.

Edit to add: apparently curl can show you what's happening here better than openssl:

---

SSLv3

mikeg@flexo% curl -v -v -v -3 https://www.yummyskin.com
* About to connect() to www.yummyskin.com port 443 (#0)
*   Trying 69.164.214.79... connected
* Connected to www.yummyskin.com (69.164.214.79) port 443 (#0)
* successfully set certificate verify locations:
*   CAfile: /usr/local/share/certs/ca-root-nss.crt
  CApath: none
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client hello (1):

* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server hello (2):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, CERT (11):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server key exchange (12):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server finished (14):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client key exchange (16):
* SSLv3, TLS change cipher, Client hello (1):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* SSLv3, TLS change cipher, Client hello (1):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* SSL connection using DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA

* Server certificate:
*    subject: serialNumber=wq8O9mhOSp9fY9JcmaJUrFNWWrANURzJ; C=CA; 
              O=staging.bossystem.org; OU=GT07932874;
              OU=See www.rapidssl.com/resources/cps (c)10;
              OU=Domain Control Validated - RapidSSL(R);
              CN=staging.bossystem.org
*    start date: 2010-02-03 18:53:53 GMT
*    expire date: 2011-02-06 13:21:08 GMT
* SSL: certificate subject name 'staging.bossystem.org'
       does not match target host name 'www.yummyskin.com'

* Closing connection #0
* SSLv3, TLS alert, Client hello (1):
curl: (51) SSL: certificate subject name 'staging.bossystem.org'
does not match target host name 'www.yummyskin.com'

---

TLSv1

mikeg@flexo% curl -v -v -v -1 https://www.yummyskin.com
* About to connect() to www.yummyskin.com port 443 (#0)
*   Trying 69.164.214.79... connected
* Connected to www.yummyskin.com (69.164.214.79) port 443 (#0)
* successfully set certificate verify locations:
*   CAfile: /usr/local/share/certs/ca-root-nss.crt
  CApath: none
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client hello (1):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server hello (2):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, CERT (11):

* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server key exchange (12):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Server finished (14):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Client key exchange (16):
* SSLv3, TLS change cipher, Client hello (1):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* SSLv3, TLS change cipher, Client hello (1):
* SSLv3, TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* SSL connection using DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA
* Server certificate:
*    subject: C=CA; O=www.yummyskin.com; OU=GT13670640;

              OU=See www.rapidssl.com/resources/cps (c)09;
              OU=Domain Control Validated - RapidSSL(R);
              CN=www.yummyskin.com
*    start date: 2009-04-24 15:48:15 GMT
*    expire date: 2010-04-25 15:48:15 GMT
*    common name: www.yummyskin.com (matched)
*    issuer: C=US; O=Equifax Secure Inc.; CN=Equifax Secure Global eBusiness CA-1
*    SSL certificate verify ok.