Generating SSH Keys for FutureGrid Access

 

Key Generation

To gain access to FutureGrid Resources including HPC and Nimbus services, you need to provide a public key to FutureGrid. We recommend that you are familiar with public keys and have the understanding that we do REQUIRE passphrase protected keys. To generate and send such a key, please follow the following steps. To find more out about open ssh you can also go to 

Other good resources include 

  • http://help.github.com/key-setup-redirect
  • http://help.github.com/working-with-key-passphrases/
  • http://www.dribin.org/dave/blog/archives/2007/11/28/ssh_agent_leopard/

1. Generate Public/Private Key Pair

First, you have to generate a key. You do this as follows:

  • Step 1: use the command “ssh-keygen -t rsa -C <your-e-mail>” to generate the key
  • Step 2: specifiy the KeyPair location and name. We recommend that you use the default location if you do not yet have another key there.  e.g. /home/username/.ssh/id_rsa
  • Step 3: type user defined passphrase when asking passphrase for the key

Example:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -C johndoe@indiana.edu

Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/johndoe/.ssh/id_rsa): 
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /home/johndoe/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/johndoe/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.
The key fingerprint is:
34:87:67:ea:c2:49:ee:c2:81:d2:10:84:b1:3e:05:59 johndoe@indiana.edu

2. List the result

You can find your key under the key location. As we user the .ssh directory it will be located there. 
 

$ls -lisa ~/.ssh
-rw-------  1 johndoe johndoe        1743 2011-02-10 09:44 id_rsa
-rw-r--r--  1 johndoe johndoe         399 2011-02-10 09:44 id_rsa.pub

 

3. Add or Replace Passphrase for an Already Generated Key

In case you need to change your change passphrase, you can simply run “ssh-keygen -p” command. Then specify the location of your current key, and input (old and) new passphrases. There is no need to re-generate keys.

ssh-keygen -p

Enter file in which the key is (/home/johndoe/.ssh/id_rsa):
Enter old passphrase:
Key has comment '/home/johndoe/.ssh/id_rsa'
Enter new passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved with the new passphrase.

 

4.  Capture the Public Key for FutureGrid

Use a text editor to open the “id_rsa.pub”. Copy the entire contents of this file into the ssh key field as part of your profile information. You can now add this key to your keys at the following page:

5. Key Management

This is a future section that will include material about how to use ssh-add and keychain. You can find instructions on them via the github link that we provided above. However, we are not github ;-)

6. Resetting the SSH key

Please follow the instructions given at 

 

7. I still can not access FG resources

In order for you to access FG resources you must be in an active project. Please make sure you join a project or create your own while applying for one.