How to install, configure, and use SSH
on AIX V5.3
The OpenSSH is now bundled with AIX web page has detailed instructions for installing OpenSSH on AIX, although the web page is now somewhat out of date. Here is a summary of the current suggested approach:
- Download the latest OpenSSL filesets from the AIX Web Download Pack Programs web page. (An IBM ID is required for access. Registering for an IBM ID is quick and easy - just follow the register now link. If you don't want to register for an IBM ID, OpenSSL is shipped with AIX on the AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications CD, although the version on that CD might not have all available patches.) When installing using smit or smitty, answer Yes to ACCEPT new license agreements?
- Use the smitty install fast path to install the OpenSSH filesets from the AIX 5L V5.3 Expansion Pack CD. Or to get a version with latest available patches, download the latest OpenSSH filesets in installp format from the OpenSSH on AIX web page on SourceForge. Select the latest version of Open Secure Shell (Openssh-4.5p1-r2 as of 12/19/2007). When installing using smit or smitty, answer Yes to ACCEPT new license agreements?
As of 3/19/2008, a file named openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.z is delivered by the OpenSSH on AIX web page on SourceForge, but AIX zcat does not cleanly handle files with a .z suffix:
# zcat openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.z | tar -tvf-
openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.z.Z: A file or directory in the path name does not exist.
tar: Unexpected end-of-file while reading from the storage media.
#
The best way to handle a .z file is to use GNU zcat, which is now installed with base AIX:
/opt/freeware/bin/zcat openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.z | tar -tvf-. Another option is to change the file suffix to .Z so AIX zcat can handle it:
mv -i openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.z openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.Z; zcat openssh-4.5p1-r2.tar.Z | tar -tvf-
Note: If you need an SSH client for Windows XP, PuTTY is free and seems to work well. If you have experience with PuTTY on Microsoft Vista, please use the 
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Note: If you prefer to build SSH from open source rather than download executables, the Deploying OpenSSH on AIX web page has instructions for doing so.
Note: Darren Tucker (an OpenSSH developer) publishes a web page which might have fixes and information which can't be found anywhere else. (See his links to Some PAM gotchas, and why PAM and SSH don't play nice together.)
The contents of this web page solely reflect the personal views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, positions, strategies or opinions of IBM or IBM management. Please use the 
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