Connect to an ESXi Host using SSH

In this post we will discuss how to enable SSH and how to connect to the host.

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Introduction

Being able to connect to an ESXi host using SSH has many advantages.

• Backup and Restore the ESXi Configuration
• Transfer files to and from the host is more reliable using SSH
• Perform management functions

Enable SSH on the ESXi 6.5 Host

For security reasons, by default SSH is disabled on an ESXi host. Log into the vCenter Web Client. Navigate to Hosts and Clusters > Configure > System > Services

Select SSH and click Start.

Use PuTTY to Connect to the ESXi Host via SSH

PuTTY is a free open-source terminal emulator which can be used to connect to remote machines using protocols such as SSH, SCP, and Telnet.

Open PuTTY and connect to the ESXi Host using SSH. Enter the username (which is normally root) and password.

Conclusion

You should now be able to connect to your ESXi host via SSH using PuTTY.