Create SSH key

In Fed4FIRE, access to testbed resources is done through SSH and more specifically SSH based on public/private key authentication. There is already an SSH key generated for you and included in the Fed4FIRE+ login certificate.

If you however which to generate an additional SSH key, you can follow the instructions below.

Windows platform: PuTTY

PuTTY is a widely used SSH client for Windows and it includes the tool PuTTYgen to create an SSH key. You can download PuTTY from http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html and you can download an installer of the latest version here.

To generate an SSH key, start the tool PuTTYgen.

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If you click on Generate, it will start collecting random information while you move your mouse over the blank session as indicated.

../_images/putty2.PNG

When it has enough random information, it will create your key.

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Now you should change the Key comment, e.g. something as fed4fire-youraccount, and provide a passphrase on your SSH key. After that, click Save private key and save it to a file on your PC, e.g. fed4fire_youraccount.ppk. Copy also the public key on top (in the frame below Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file) and save it to a local file, e.g. fed4fire_youraccount.pub. This is NOT the same format as the button Save public key will generate !

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UNIX platforms (Linux/Apple OS X)

For UNIX platforms, creating an SSH key can be done through a command line tool that you run in a terminal. Run the command ssh-keygen -t rsa. The default file locations are normally okay, so you can press enter to accept them. Provide a passphrase on the SSH key.

Afterwards you have a file with the public part of your key (e.g. id_rsa.pub) and a file with the private part of your key (e.g. id_rsa). The latter may never be distributed.

Output looks like:

$ ssh-keygen -t rsa
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/bvermeul2/.ssh/id_rsa):
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /home/bvermeul2/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/bvermeul2/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
4b:da:d0:55:4c:1b:fd:14:e6:6f:dd:79:c9:14:26:b0 bvermeul2@node0.singlenodedeb64.bvermeul.wall1.ilabt.iminds.be
The key's randomart image is:
+--[ RSA 2048]----+
|           +=o =.|
|           .oo* o|
|          .E.  = |
|       . .    o B|
|      . S      +*|
|       = .     ..|
|      . o        |
|                 |
|                 |
+-----------------+