Here are some references for educational purposes.

• Public-Key Infrastructure (X.509) (pkix) lists a number of standards track and informational RFCs.
• OpenVPN has an "easy_rsa" package that helps you get started with issuing certificates. It makes the job simple and easy. Check out the OpenVPN Howto document.
• Microsoft Technet has Certificate Services Best practices.
• Jeremy Mates has a set of code to do similar thing. Check out his OpenSSL Certificate Authority Setup.
• openssl.cnf - OpenSSL configuration file has done a good job explaining the various options of OpenSSL configuration in openssl.cnf file.
• Apache SSL/TLS Strong Encryption: FAQ
• Using OpenSSL Certificates with HP-UX IPSec A.02.01