Chapter 6. Configure key based SSH authentication without a password

Procedure

1. Log in to the first hyperconverged host as the root user.

2. Generate an SSH key that does not use a password.

   1. Start the key generation process.

      # ssh-keygen -t rsa
      Generating public/private rsa key pair.

   2. Enter a location for the key.

      The default location, shown in parentheses, is used if no other input is provided.

      Enter file in which to save the key (/home/username/.ssh/id_rsa): <location>/<keyname>

   3. Specify and confirm an empty passphrase by pressing Enter twice.

      Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
      Enter same passphrase again:

      The private key is saved in <location>/<keyname>. The public key is saved in <location>/<keyname>.pub.

      Your identification has been saved in <location>/<keyname>.
      Your public key has been saved in <location>/<keyname>.pub.
      The key fingerprint is SHA256:8BhZageKrLXM99z5f/AM9aPo/KAUd8ZZFPcPFWqK6+M root@server1.example.com
      The key's randomart image is:
      +---[ECDSA 256]---+
      |      . .      +=|
      | . . . =      o.o|
      |  + . * .    o...|
      | = . . *  . + +..|
      |. + . . So o * ..|
      |   . o . .+ =  ..|
      |      o oo ..=. .|
      |        ooo...+  |
      |        .E++oo   |
      +----[SHA256]-----+

      Warning

      Your identification in this output is your private key. Never share your private key. Possession of your private key allows someone else to impersonate you on any system that has your public key.

Procedure

1. Log in to the host as the root user.

2. Copy the public key to the same host:

   # ssh-copy-id -i <location>/<keyname>.pub root@<hostname>

   Enter the password for root@<hostname> when prompted.

   Warning

   Make sure that you use the file that ends in .pub. Never share your private key. Possession of your private key allows someone else to impersonate you on any system that has your public key.

   For example, if you are logged in as the root user on server1.example.com, you would run the following commands:

   # ssh-copy-id -i <location>/<keyname>.pub root@server1.example.com