"Managing SSH Keys"

The SSH Keys page provides comprehensive tools for managing your credentials throughout their lifecycle, from creation to deletion.

Key Information Display

Key Details

Essential Information

View key name, fingerprint, and creation date

Access the full public key content

Copy public keys to clipboard with one click

View regional distribution of keys

Organization Features

Management Tools

Search keys by name

Filter keys by region

Sort by name or creation date

Paginated view for large key collections

Key Information Components

Basic Information

Technical Details

Usage Information

Core Key Details

Key Name: User-defined identifier

Key Type: RSA, Ed25519, or ECDSA

Key Size: Bit length for security assessment

Creation Date: When key was added to account

Source: Whether created or imported

Deleting SSH Keys

To remove an SSH key from your account:

Navigate to Key Management

Navigate to the SSH Keys page

Locate Target Key

Find the key you want to delete using search or filters

Initiate Deletion

Click the "Delete" button on the key card

Confirm Deletion

Confirm the deletion in the popup dialog

Verify Removal

The key will be immediately removed from all regions

Key Deletion Considerations

Pre-Deletion Checklist

VM Access Verification

Access Continuity

Documentation Update

Using SSH Keys with Virtual Machines

SSH keys are automatically integrated into the VM deployment process:

VM Deployment Integration

Key Selection

In the SSH Key Configuration section of VM deployment, select from your available keys

Multi-Key Selection

Multiple keys can be selected for a single VM to allow access by different team members

Automatic Installation

Selected keys are automatically installed on the VM during provisioning

User Configuration

Keys are configured for the default user account (ubuntu, centos, etc. depending on OS)

Connection Examples

Basic SSH Connection:

Parameter explanations:

/path/to/private_key - Path to your downloaded private key file

username - Default user for your OS (ubuntu, centos, admin, etc.)

vm_ip_address - Public IP address of your VM

SSH Config File (Recommended):

For easier connections, add entries to your SSH config file (~/.ssh/config):

After adding this configuration, you can connect simply with: ssh my-vm

Regional Key Distribution

SSH keys are automatically distributed across all available regions when created or imported:

Regional Availability

Norway Region

NORWAY-1

European data center

GDPR compliant

Low latency for European users

Canada Region

CANADA-1

North American data center

Privacy-focused

Optimized for Canadian/northern US users

US Region

US-1

United States data center

US data residency

Low latency for US users

Cross-Region Benefits

Seamless Deployment

Disaster Recovery

SSH Key Best Practices

Security Best Practices

Key Generation

Generate separate keys for different projects or environments

Use descriptive names that identify the key's purpose

Prefer Ed25519 keys for new generations (more secure and faster)

Use minimum 2048-bit RSA keys (4096-bit recommended for high security)

Key Storage

Store private keys securely and never share them

Use passphrase protection for your private keys

Back up private keys in encrypted storage

Set correct file permissions (600 for private keys)

Key Maintenance

Regularly audit and rotate your SSH keys

Remove unused or unnecessary keys promptly

Monitor key usage and access patterns

Keep an inventory of where keys are deployed

Access Control

Use separate keys for different team members

Implement key rotation policies

Revoke access immediately when team members leave

Consider using SSH certificates for large teams

Operational Best Practices

Key Organization

Lifecycle Management

Team Collaboration

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection Problems

Permission Denied

Connection Refused

Key Not Found

SSH Authentication Failures

Common Causes:

Wrong private key file

Incorrect file permissions

Wrong username for OS

Key not installed on VM

Solutions:

Verify correct private key file path

Set permissions: chmod 600 ~/.ssh/private_key.pem

Use correct username (ubuntu, centos, etc.)

Check key was selected during VM deployment

Key Management Issues

Cannot Delete Key

Key Not Working

Lost Private Key

Advanced Key Management

Key Rotation Strategy

Plan Rotation Schedule

Determine rotation frequency based on security requirements

Identify high-priority keys requiring frequent rotation

Plan rotation windows to minimize service disruption

Coordinate with team schedules and maintenance windows

Prepare New Keys

Generate or import new SSH keys

Test new keys with development VMs

Update team access and documentation

Prepare deployment procedures

Deploy New Keys

Add new keys to existing VMs

Verify new key functionality

Update automation and scripts

Train team on new key usage

Retire Old Keys

Remove old keys from VMs

Delete old keys from account

Update documentation and procedures

Verify no remaining dependencies

Automation Integration

Infrastructure as Code

Automated Key Management

Include SSH key management in infrastructure automation

Use configuration management tools for key deployment

Implement automated key rotation procedures

Monitor key usage and compliance

CI/CD Integration

Pipeline Integration

Integrate key management with deployment pipelines

Automate key distribution to new VMs

Implement automated testing of key functionality

Monitor and alert on key-related issues

Key Information Display#

Key Information Components#

Deleting SSH Keys#

Key Deletion Considerations#

Pre-Deletion Checklist#

Using SSH Keys with Virtual Machines#

VM Deployment Integration#

Connection Examples#

Regional Key Distribution#

Regional Availability#

Cross-Region Benefits#

SSH Key Best Practices#

Security Best Practices#

Operational Best Practices#

Troubleshooting Common Issues#

Connection Problems#

Key Management Issues#

Advanced Key Management#

Key Rotation Strategy#

Automation Integration#