Why Changing the Default SSH Port(Port 22) on vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) is Not Supported.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Administrators may wish to change the default SSH port (port 22) on the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) for security or compliance purposes.

Environment

vCenter 6.x
vCenter 7.x
vCenter 8.x

Cause

Modifying the default SSH port configuration on VCSA is not supported by Broadcom.

Changing this port can:
Disrupt internal VCSA services that rely on the default configuration
Cause compatibility issues with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
Impact monitoring, management, and automation tools expecting port 22 for SSH connections

Resolution

Broadcom does not support changing the default SSH port on the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA). Altering the SSH port can disrupt internal services, cause issues with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
For full support and optimal functionality, it is strongly recommended to retain the default SSH port configuration (port 22). If security compliance requires using a non-standard port, alternative methods such as firewalls and network access controls should be considered.