# SSL SAN

A Subject Alternative Name - SAN - is an additional name associated with an [SSL](/glossary/s/ssl) server [certificate](/glossary/s/ssl_certificate).

The name can be a [hostname](/glossary/h/hostname), an [IP address](/glossary/i/ip), a [common name](/glossary/s/ssl_cn) or other identifier. 

Typical uses for SANs is when you want to cover multiple names across different domains/subdomains (`www.example.com` and `www.example.net`) with the same certificate, or when you have a multiple virtual hosts on the same IP address.