SSH Key Generation Guide

SSH keys provide a secure, passwordless way to log into the HPCC clusters. Generating a public/private key pair allows you to authenticate your connection safely without needing to type your password every time you SSH into the cluster.

Generating Your SSH Key Pair

Open your local terminal (Linux/macOS) or Git Bash/WSL (Windows) and run the following command:

ssh-keygen -t rsa

What to Expect During the Process:

• File Location Prompt:

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

  Action: Press Enter to accept the default file location and name. This is strongly recommended.

• Passphrase Prompt (Optional but Recommended):

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

  Action: Enter a secure passphrase for an extra layer of security, or simply press Enter twice for no passphrase (convenient, but less secure if your local machine is compromised).

Understanding Your Generated Files

Once completed, the command creates two files inside your local ~/.ssh/ directory:

• Private Key (id_rsa): Keep this file strictly confidential on your local machine. Never share it with anyone.
• Public Key (id_rsa.pub): This is the file you will share or upload to the cluster to authorize your login.

Next Steps

To use your new key with the HPCC cluster, your public key (id_rsa.pub) needs to be added to your cluster account's authorized keys. You can typically view your public key using:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub