Enable SSH on vCenter Appliance Using PowerCLI

[barnette08]

I'm positive this has been done by someone using the API since there don't seem to be any cmdlets for it.  Can someone please point me to a post I haven't been able to find any.

[LucD]

Do you mean starting the service?
Then look at the Start-VMHostService cmdlet.

[barnette08]

Man, I knew I was moving too fast...I meant enabling SSH on the vCenter appliance!  Apologies!

[LucD]

You can use the Set SSH REST method.

And with the more recent PowerCLI versions the Initialize-AccessSshSetRequestBody and Invoke-SetAccessSsh cmdlets it became very easy to use.
See the example at the end of the Set SSH page.

[barnette08]

I saw that but I've never used invoke before.  When I tried the example at Set SSH.  I get The term 'Initialize-AccessSshSetRequestBody' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.

PowerCLI Version
----------------
VMware.PowerCLI 12.3.0 build 17860403
---------------
Component Versions
---------------
VMware Common PowerCLI Component 13.1 build 21605386
VMware Cis Core PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 13.1 build 21605976
VMware VimAutomation VICore Commands PowerCLI Component PowerCLI Component 13.1 build 21606170

[LucD]

Can you update your PowerCLI version

[barnette08]

Ran into some dependency issues but was able to uninstall and reinstall to the latest.  I do get an error though when running the invoke.

Invoke-ApiClient : The underlying connection was closed: Could not establish trust relationship for the SSL/TLS secure channel.
At C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\VMware.Sdk.vSphereRuntime\8.0.1111.21624264\Private\vSphereApiClient.ps1:128 char:9
+ Invoke-ApiClient @invokeParams
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,Invoke-ApiClient

[LucD]

Did you set the InvalidCertificateAction to Ignore with the Set-PowerCLIConfiguration cmdlet?

Did you check that TLS v1.1 and v1.2 are enabled on your station?
Check with

[enum]::GetNames([Net.SecurityProtocolType])

And eventually, change it with

[System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol =[System.Net.SecurityProtocolType]'Ssl3,Tls,Tls11,Tls12'

[barnette08]

It looks to be set:

PS C:\Windows\system32> [enum]::GetNames([Net.SecurityProtocolType])
SystemDefault
Ssl3
Tls
Tls11
Tls12
Tls13

[LucD]

And the  InvalidCertificateAction?

[barnette08]

I set it to ignore:

[LucD]

Try setting the InvalidCertificateAction to prompt, that way you should see what is actually happening.

The SSL/TLS error could also be caused by a discrepancy between the vCenter name you use on the Connect-VIServer and what is defined in the certificate.

[barnette08]

Hmmmm....I've set to prompt and disconnected and reconnected and still the same error.  Also I've validated that the cert is using the FQDN and that's what I'm connecting with.  I tried to connect with IP to compare behaviors and I get the prompt for invalid cert there but accepted it, then ran the Invoke-SetAccessSsh -AccessSshSetRequestBody $AccessSshSetRequestBody again, but still get the same SSL error.

[LucD]

As a last resort, did you stop/start your PowerCLI session?

If that doesn't help, then I'm out of ideas for now I'm afraid.

[barnette08]

Yep, tried that.  I'll keep digging and update if I find anything.  Thanks for the help as always @LucD !