Enabling SSH on vCenter helps with troubleshooting and maintenance when the GUI fails. This guide covers three secure methods to enable SSH and introduces AOMEI Cyber Backup for efficient, automated protection of your VMware environment.
Secure Shell (SSH) access to VMware vCenter Server is crucial for administrators who require command-line control for troubleshooting, log analysis, and advanced configuration. However, improper SSH management can expose your environment to security risks.
SSH (Secure Shell) provides secure remote access to the vCenter Server command line interface. Common use cases include:
Troubleshooting vCenter services
Accessing logs and configuration files
Performing maintenance tasks when the GUI is not available
📌Note: VMware recommends disabling SSH when not in use to minimize security risks.
vCenter enables SSH on your vCenter Server is essential for advanced troubleshooting and administration. Below are three reliable methods to enable SSH, along with security considerations.
Best for quick, user-friendly activation.
Log in to the vSphere Client with administrator credentials.
Select your vCenter Server in the inventory.
Navigate to Configure > Settings > Access > SSH Access.
Click Edit, toggle SSH Access to Enabled, and confirm.
Best for web-based management without vSphere Client.
Open a browser and go to: https://:5480
Log in with root credentials.
Navigate to Access > Console CLI.
Toggle Enable SSH to ON.
Best for scripting and advanced users.
Connect to vCenter via console or existing SSH session.
Enter the Appliance Shell:
Enable and start the SSH service:
Disable SSH when not in use (reverse the steps above).
Use SSH key authentication instead of passwords.
Restrict access via firewall rules (allow only trusted IPs).
Monitor logs (/var/log/auth.log) for suspicious activity.
While SSH helps with administration, backups are key to disaster recovery. If vCenter fails due to hardware issues, corruption, or ransomware, backups ensure fast recovery.
AOMEI Cyber Backup is a powerful and user-friendly backup solution that supports VMware environments. Here’s why it’s a great choice:
Automated VM Backups: You can schedule full, incremental, or differential backups.
Centralized Management: You can manage multiple VMware/Hyper-V hosts from one console.
Instant Recovery: You can restore VMs quickly to minimize downtime.
Role-Based Access Control: You can secure backups with permission management.
Cost-Effective: No per-VM licensing fees, unlike some enterprise solutions.
Steps to create virtual machine backups
Step 1. After installing and downloading AOMEI Cyber Backup, navigate to Source Device > VMware > + Add VMware Device to Add vCenter or Standalone ESXi host. And then enter the required information, and click Confirm.
Step 2. Navigate to Backup Task > + Create New Task, and select VMware ESXi Backup as the Backup Type. Then, you can set Task Name, Device, Target, Schedule, and Cleanup according to your needs.
Step 3. Click Start Backup to select Add the schedule and start backup now, or Add the schedule only.
Step 4. Find your tasks in the Backup Task tab, and click … to restore. You can restore to new location or restore to the original location.
Enabling SSH on vCenter is useful for administration, but should be done securely. In the meantime, protecting your virtual infrastructure with AOMEI Cyber Backup ensures that you recover quickly from failures or cyber threats.