Enabling SSH access when vSphere Client and VAMI are unavailable

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

How to enable SSH on vCenter Server appliances when the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface and vSphere Web Clients are unavailable, possibly due to services being down.

Environment

7.x
8.x

Resolution

Enable SSH via the DCUI 

1. Open a Remote Console (or Web Console) to the VCSA VM from the ESXi Host Client
   
   
2. Press F2 to select "Customize System"
   
   
3. Login with your root credentials
   
   
4. Navigate to "Troubleshooting Mode Options"
   
   
5. Select "Enable SSH"

Enable SSH from the command line

1. Open a Remote Console (or Web Console) to the VCSA VM from the ESXi Host Client
   
   
2. Press ALT + F1 to get a command line session. Login as root.
   NOTE: If a login prompt is not presented BASH is disabled, follow the steps for the DCUI above but select "Enable BASH" to enable the Bash shell.
   
   
3. Run the below commands to enable SSH.
   
   
   1. ssh.get
shows the current status.
      
      
   2. ssh.set --enabled true
      allows you to change the state of SSH to enabled
      
      NOTE: Use ‘false’ instead of 'true' to disable SSH.

Example:

Command> ssh.get
Enabled: False

Command> ssh.set --enabled true

Command> ssh.get
Enabled: True