Putty and ESX 3.0

[jamesmcniel]

I just installed ESX 3.0 and VC 2.0 for the first time to start playing with it. I'm having an issue though trying to putty to the machine. As soon as putty tries to connect it immediately just closes. I get no error or anything to indicate why this is happening. I can putty just fine from my machine to any of the ESX 2.5.x boxes.

Also, when I telnet to the SSH port, it is in fact listening. Anybody experience this problem or have any ideas of what I could try to fix it? VMWare won't give me any support on 3.0 yet.

[sbeaver]

You are trying to log in as root over ssh and in ESX 3 that is not allowed.

You will need to edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config to allow root access

comment out or change the line

allow root access

service restart sshd

or better use a regular account to connect and su to root

[Michelle_Laveri]

direct root access with SSH has been disabled...

How to get in remotely?

1. Use the VI client pointed at the host and the Users & Group tab to create a user

2. login as that user using PuTTy

3. Levitate your rights to root using su - (or sudo as you prefer)

Optionally:

Edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file

Reset the permissions to ESX 2.x like ones

restart ssh with service sshd restart

Disadv:

Loss of traceability and auditing at the service console...

Regards

Mike

[jamesmcniel]

thanks for the replies. The problem, though, is that when I try to putty into the server, I never get the option to log in. I had already found the forum discussion relating to enabling root login over SSH. The putty window just pops up for a quick second and then goes away.

[Michelle_Laveri]

mmm, got the right port number selected for SSH in puTTy - 22...

a clean download of puTTy defaults to something else...

so have you already got a valid user or weakened security?

Regards

Mike

[jamesmcniel]

I have created another user on the host and that doesn't seem to help either. Yes, I have verified that the port is correct.

[jamesmcniel]

I unchecked the box in putty that closes the window automatically and I can now see the error. Putty is coming back with "Connection closed by remote host". Does this mean anything to anyone?

Thanks.

[sbeaver]

The ESX firewall might be blocking it.

[kix1979]

Check your Configuration --> Security Profile --> Properties. Make sure the SSH Server daemon is running. If it is not running you can highlight it, click on options and restart the service from there.

[jamesmcniel]

SSH Daemon is running. If I telnet to port the server and port 22, it is definitly listening on that port. I just don't know why it's not allowing Putty to connect. If I log in via WinSCP, that works as well. I have tried connecting to it via putty on two different machines and they both do the same thing.

[kix1979]

Restart the service anyways and ensure it is running. Also check via esxcfg-firewall -q to make sure "INPUT" has port 22 for ACCEPT connections. Also at the bottom is should say the sshServer is an enabled service.

[sbeaver]

Which protocal are you using with putty to connect?

[jamesmcniel]

Port 22 is showing as ACCEPT and I do in fact see sshServer under enabled services.

[jamesmcniel]

I am trying to connect using SSH port 22 with putty. The same way I have always connected to ESX servers.

[Michelle_Laveri]

sorry, to ask a silly question - but you can ping the esx COS nic by IP - not a routing issue?

I assume you can point the VI client at the esx host - and gain access that way?

Was this an upgrade or clean install?

Regards

Mike

[jamesmcniel]

Mike,

This was a clean install. I can ping the server with no issue. And yes, I can manage the server via the Virtual Center server or by connecting the client directly to the server.

Thanks,

Jim

[kix1979]

You reboot this host lately?

[jamesmcniel]

Yes. I have rebooted it a few times now. That was the first thing I did before posting a message.

[skchaw]

Hi, you may try this :

vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config[/b]

Change below line

"[b]PermitRootLogin no[/b]".

to

PermitRootLogin yes[/b]

Then restart your service by usong below command :

/etc/init.d/sshd restart[/b]

[/b]

[andrew_hald]

SSH1 or SSH2 in PuTTy? Which one are you trying to use?