---
layout: default
navsection: userguide
-title: Accessing Arvados VM with SSH - Unix Environments
+title: Accessing an Arvados VM with SSH - Unix Environments
...
-This document is for unix environments (Linux, OS X, Cygwin). If you are using a windows environment, please visit the "Accessing Arvados VM with SSH - Windows Environments":ssh-access-windows.html
+This document is for unix environments (Linux, OS X, Cygwin). If you are using a windows environment, please visit the "Accessing Arvados VM with SSH - Windows Environments":ssh-access-windows.html page.
Arvados requires a public SSH key in order to securely log in to an Arvados VM instance, or to access an Arvados Git repository. The three sections below help you get started:
h1(#gettingkey). Getting your SSH key
-h2(#unix). Using ssh-keygen
+h3(#unix). Generate key using ssh-keygen
Start by opening a terminal window. Check if you have an existing public key:
Now you can set up @ssh-agent@ (next) or proceed with "adding your key to the Arvados Workbench.":#workbench
-h3. Setting up ssh-agent (recommended)
+h3. Set up ssh-agent (recommended)
If you find you are entering your passphrase frequently, you can use @ssh-agent@ to manage your credentials. Use @ssh-add -l@ to test if you already have ssh-agent running:
h3. From the Workbench dashboard
-If you have no SSH keys registered, there should be a notification asking you to provide your ssh public key. On the Workbench dashboard, look for the envelope icon <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-envelope"></span> <span class="badge badge-alert">1</span> in upper right corner (the number indicates there are new notifications). Click on this icon and a dropdown menu should appear with a message asking you to add your public key. Paste your public key into the text area provided and click on the check button to submit the key. You are now ready to "log into an Arvados VM":#login.
+If you have no SSH keys registered, there should be a notification asking you to provide your SSH public key. On the Workbench dashboard, look for the envelope icon <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-envelope"></span> <span class="badge badge-alert">1</span> in upper right corner (the number indicates there are new notifications). Click on this icon and a dropdown menu should appear with a message asking you to add your public key. Paste your public key into the text area provided and click on the check button to submit the key. You are now ready to "log into an Arvados VM":#login.
h3. Alternate way to add SSH keys
To see a list of virtual machines that you have access to and determine the name and login information, click on Compute %(rarr)→% Virtual machines. Once on the *Virtual machines* page, The *hostname* columns lists the name of each available VM. The *logins* column will have a value in the form of @["you"]@. Your login name is the text inside the quotes. In this guide the hostname will be _shell_ and the login will be _you_. Replace these with your hostname and login name as appropriate.
-h2(#unixvm). Logging in using the @ssh@ command
-
h3. Connecting to the virtual machine
Use the following command to connect to the _shell_ VM instance as _you_. Replace *<code>you@shell</code>* at the end of the following command with your *login* and *hostname* from Workbench:
projects / arvados.git / blobdiff