SSH connection to ESXi host temporarily drops with 'Connection reset by peer'

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• SSH connection to the ESXi host is disconnected.

   

• /var/run/log/syslog.log contains entries similar to the following:
  
  HHHH-mm-ddTHH:MM:SS.xxxZ In(38) sshd-session[<pid>]: Read error from remote host ###.###.#.### port #####: Connection reset by peer

Cause

The "Connection reset by peer" message is typically logged when an RST (Reset) packet is sent from the client machine or from a network device (such as a firewall) located between the client and the ESXi host.

Resolution

Investigate the client or network devices in the path to determine the root cause of the RST packet being sent.