Users Guide

Generating Public Keys for Systems Running Windows
Before adding an account, a public key is required from the system that accesses the CMC over SSH. There are two ways to generate the
public/private key pair: using PuTTY Key Generator application for clients running Windows or ssh-keygen CLI for clients running Linux.
This section describes simple instructions to generate a public/private key pair for both applications. For additional or advanced usage of
these tools, see the application Help.
To use the PuTTY Key Generator to create a basic key for clients running Windows:
1 Start the application and select SSH-2 RSA or SSH-2 DSA for the type of key to generate (SSH-1 is not supported).
2 Enter the number of bits for the key. Ensure that the RSA key size is between 1024 and 4096.
NOTE:
• The recommended DSA key length is 1024.
• CMC may not display a message if you add keys less than 1024 or greater than 4096, but when you try to log in with these
keys, CMC stops responding.
• For DSA keys greater than 2048, use the following RACADM command. CMC accepts RSA keys up to key strength 4096, but
the recommended key strength is 1024.
racadm -r 192.168.8.14 -u root -p calvin sshpkauth -i svcacct -k 1 -p 0xfff -f
dsa_2048.pub
3 Click Generate, and move the mouse in the window as directed.
After the key is created, you can modify the key comment eld.
You can also enter a passphrase to make the key secure. Ensure that you save the private key.
4 You have two options for using the public key:
• Save the public key to a le to upload later.
• Copy and paste the text from the Public key for pasting window when adding the account using the text option.
Generating Public Keys for Systems Running Linux
The ssh-keygen application for Linux clients is a command line tool with no graphical user interface. Open a terminal window and at the
shell prompt type:
ssh-keygen –t rsa –b 1024 –C testing
where,
–t must be dsa or rsa.
–b species the bit encryption size between 768 and 4096.
–c allows modifying the public key comment and is optional.
The <passphrase> is optional. After the command completes, use the public le to pass to the RACADM for uploading the le.
RACADM Syntax Notes for CMC
When using the racadm sshpkauth command, ensure the following:
• For the –i option, the parameter must be svcacct. All other parameters for -i fail in CMC. The svcacct is a special account for
public key authentication over SSH in CMC.
Conguring
CMC to Use Command Line Consoles 155