how-to activate SSH in ESXi

When you firs install ESXi Server (the installable version), by default the service ssh is desactivated. Tech Support
Mode provides a command-line interface that can be used to diagnose and repair ESX Server 3i hosts. But it is possible very
easy to activate SSH. Here is how:

Requirements:

You have to have direct access to console

1.) While you are at the console hit ALT + F1

2.) Type in ” unsupported ” and hit Enter

3.) Go ahead and type the root password

4.) Go and edit the /etc/inetd.conf file type :   vi /etc/inetd.conf

5.) Uncomment the line where you can see “#ssh” (line 32). Remove the “#” mark at the beginning.

6.) Then press ESC and type in :wq! to save the file and exit vi.

7.) Then run the command /sbin/services.sh restart

Remarque: In case that this don’t work. It means that when you type ” unsupported ” nothing happens, you’ll have to follow this:

1.) Open the VI client, click onto the ESXi server you want to manage and go to Configuration TAB

2.) Advanced Settings

3.) Uncheck the VMkernel.boot.techSupportMode

4.) Reboot the ESXi Server. Before restarting the host, you should shut down virtual machines on that host

You can read the original KB article at WMware website

Enjoy the video from VMwareKB.

Share

Technorati Tags: ESXi SSH, Tech Support Mode, VMWare ESXi

Other posts from Server Virtualization

• Create your own Provider Virtual Data Center
• Measure some perf benchs with VMark
• VMware partners with Symantec on ApplicationHA
• Andre Leibovici's Linked cloning storage calculator
• SIOC yes, but not in the SMB kit...
• Best practices KB on how-to install ESX 4.1 and vCenter
• Hyper-V and new linux integration tools
• How to Fix “Transaction log for database ‘VIM_VCDB’ is full” errors
• How to change from ACPI Multiprocessor HAL back to ACPI Uniprocessor HAL in Windows 2003
• AD Integration for ESXi 4.1
• vCenter converter with Hyper-V import
• Serial Port handling in ESXi 4.1
• Four memory optimization techniques available in vSphere 4.1
• Activating remote access via SSH in ESXi4.1
• vSphere Compatibility Matrixes
• 150 new features or enhancements in vSphere 4.1
• Personalized install of VMware tools
• VMware tools download from VMware Website
• How to change virtual SCSI controler
• Microsoft's patch for .NET breaks VI client connection