In a client/server ssl session you have the following:
For key exchange you usually use diffie-hellman algorithm.
For verification you use either DSA or RSA.
symetric encryption for actual data?(Not sure about this)

The use of diffie hellman ephemeral keying allows for the generation of a new private key for each new session. This is used in combintion with RSA or DSA. Is the diffie hellman generated private key used by RSA or DSA or is this a completely seperate process. I dont understand how exactly RSA/DSA and diffie hellman are used together in Openssl. I have an Openssl book here and it tells me why it uses diffie hellman and rsa but not how. Could someone give me some kind of explanation of the process and how they are used together.

Does ssl_write() encrypt the data also?. or is it just an ordinary io writing function across a network?.