SSH keys

The LAA runs an SSH server on its public network interface. Adding an SSH public key in the LAA web interface authorises that key to open an SSH session on the LAA as the user account.

Public network interface only

The SSH server only listens on the LAA Main Eth (public) interface. It is not reachable from the private DUT Eth interface.

Manage SSH keys

Browse to the LAA embedded web interface using the IP address shown on the OLED display (for example http://192.168.0.90/) and open Appliance > SSH Keys, or go directly to:

http://<laa-ip>/appliance/ssh/

Manage SSH keys

The page lists every authorised key with:

  • Type β€” the key algorithm (for example ssh-ed25519, ssh-rsa)

  • Key β€” a truncated view of the public key material

  • Comments β€” the trailing comment field of the key (typically the user@host it was generated on)

  • Delete β€” remove the key from the LAA

Add a key

  1. Generate an SSH key pair on your workstation if you do not already have one. Ed25519 is recommended:

    ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your.name@example.com"

    This produces ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 (private, keep secret) and ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub (public, safe to upload).

  2. On the Manage ssh keys page, click Choose file and select your public key file (the one ending in .pub).

  3. Click Add SSH Key. The new key is appended to the list and takes effect immediately.

Only upload the public key

Never upload your private key (the file without the .pub extension). Only the .pub file should be added here.

Remove a key

Click the red bin icon on the row of the key you want to revoke. The key is removed from the LAA’s authorized_keys file immediately and any future SSH attempt with that key will be refused. Existing SSH sessions are not terminated.

Connect over SSH

Once your key has been added, you can SSH to the LAA as the user account on its public IP address:

ssh user@<laa-public-ip>

The public IP address is the one printed on the LAA OLED display and shown on the LAA page in lavacloud.io.

From this SSH session the LAA can act as a jump host onto the private 198.18.0.0/24 network β€” useful for reaching the DUT or a BMC/IPMI controller from outside the lab. See the device guide for your platform for platform-specific tunnel examples (for example Ampere Server Platforms).

Troubleshooting

Permission denied (publickey)

  • Confirm that the public key was uploaded (the .pub file), not the private one.

  • Check that your SSH client is offering the matching private key:

    ssh -v -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 user@<laa-public-ip>

  • Verify the key still appears in Appliance > SSH Keys.