SSH Key Authentication

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Attention: Research Computing Documentation has Moved
https://docs.rc.uab.edu/


Please use the new documentation url https://docs.rc.uab.edu/ for all Research Computing documentation needs.


As a result of this move, we have deprecated use of this wiki for documentation. We are providing read-only access to the content to facilitate migration of bookmarks and to serve as an historical record. All content updates should be made at the new documentation site. The original wiki will not receive further updates.

Thank you,

The Research Computing Team

These instructions assist existing users of Cheaha in getting access to new Cheaha.


Mac OS X

  • On your Mac open Terminal application.
  • Run the following command on your terminal:
ssh-keygen -t rsa
  • You can put a passphrase for your SSH key ( Not mandatory but highly recommended)
  • A id_rsa.pub file would have been created.
  • Open the file by running less .ssh/id_rsa.pub and copy the content.
  • Press q to exit out of the file.
  • Now SSH to your cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu account , and paste the content in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys using your favorite editor.
  • Now log out from cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu
  • Run
ssh blazerid@cheaha.rc.uab.edu
  • You should have been able to login to new Cheaha.

Note: You need to perform these steps just for the first time access, you should be able to directly run ssh blazerid@cheaha.rc.uab.edu from next time.


Linux

  • On your linux machine open Terminal application.
  • Run the following command on your terminal:
ssh-keygen -t rsa
  • You can put a passphrase for your SSH key ( Not mandatory but highly recommended)
  • A id_rsa.pub file would have been created.
  • Open the file by running less .ssh/id_rsa.pub and copy the content.
  • Press q to exit out of the file.
  • Now SSH to your cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu account , and paste the content in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys using your favorite editor.
  • Now log out from cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu
  • Run
ssh blazerid@cheaha.rc.uab.edu
  • You should have been able to login to new Cheaha.

Note: You need to perform these steps just for the first time access, you should be able to directly run ssh blazerid@cheaha.rc.uab.edu from next time.


Windows

Putty

You would require a tool called puttygen, to generate SSH keys for the pairing purpose. You can downlaod it here. Once you have downloaded and installed putty and puttygen, follow these instructions:

  • Launch PuTTY Key Generator.
  • Launch the program, click the Generate button. The program generates the keys for you.
  • Enter a unique key passphrase in the Key passphrase and Confirm passphrase fields.
  • Save the public and private keys by clicking the Save public key and Save private key buttons.
  • Enter a unique key passphrase in the Key passphrase and Confirm passphrase fields. You will be prompted for that passphrase whenever you log in to a server with this key. (Not Mandatory, but highly recommended)
  • Copy the content from the public file that you just generated.
  • Now open application Putty.
  • Set up your session for Cheaha in PuTTy. (If you don't know how, follow these instructions).
  • Login to your Cheaha account.
  • Paste the content of the Public key that you generated using Puttygen in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys using your favorite editor.
  • Now exit/logout out of your account on cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu.
  • Use these settings to configure a session for new Cheaha:
Field Cheaha Settings
Host Name (or IP address) cheaha.rc.uab.edu
Port 22
Protocol SSH
Saved Sessions cheaha.rc.uab.edu
  • Click Save to save the configuration.
  • Now select your saved session for cheaha.rc.uab.edu.
  • Click Connection > SSH > Auth in the left-hand navigation pane and configure the private key to use by clicking Browse under Private key file for authentication.
  • Navigate to the location where you saved your private key earlier, select the file, and click Open.
  • The private key path is now displayed in the Private key file for authentication field.
  • Click Session in the left-hand navigation pane and click Save in the Load, save or delete a stored session section.
  • Click Open to begin your session with the server.

Note: You need to perform these steps just for the first time access, you should be able to directly run your cheaha.rc.uab.edu profile from next time.


SSH Secure Shell Client

  • In SSH Secure Shell, from the Edit menu, select Settings...
  • In the window that opens, select Global Settings, then User Authentication, and then Keys.
  • Under "Key pair management", click Generate New.... In the window that appears, click Next.
  • In the Key Generation window that appears:
    • From the drop-down list next to Key Type:, select from the following:
      • If you want to take less time to initially generate the key, select DSA.
      • If you want to take less time during each connection for the server to verify your key, select RSA.
    • From the the drop-down list next to Key Length:, select at least 1024. You may choose a greater key length, but the time it takes to generate the key, as well as the time it takes to authenticate using it, will go up.
  • Click Next. The key generation process will start. When it's complete, click Next again.
  • In the File Name: field, enter a name for the file where SSH Secure Shell will store your private key. Your public key will be stored in a file with the same name, plus a .pub extension.
    • Important: You can put a passphrase for your SSH key ( Not mandatory but highly recommended)
  • To complete the key generation process, click Next, and then Finish.
  • At the Settings screen, click OK.
  • Copy the content of .pub file generated.
  • Now SSH to your cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu account, following the instructions here , and paste the content in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys using your favorite editor.
  • Now exit/logout from your account on cheaha.uabgrid.uab.edu
  • Now ssh into blazerid@cheaha.rc.uab.edu , following the instructions here. Remember to change Host Name to cheaha.rc.uab.edu
  • You should have been able to login to new Cheaha.

Note: You need to perform these steps just for the first time access, you should be able to directly run your cheaha.rc.uab.edu profile from next time.