Downloading, installing, and updating OpenSSH and OpenSSL

If you are using a Virtual I/O Server version prior to 1.3, you must download and install OpenSSH and OpenSSL software before you can connect to the Virtual I/O Server using OpenSSH. You can also use this procedure to update OpenSSH and OpenSSL on the Virtual I/O Server.

OpenSSH and OpenSSL might need to be updated on your Virtual I/O Server if the Virtual I/O Server did not include the latest version of OpenSSH or OpenSSL, or if there were OpenSSH or OpenSSL updates released in between Virtual I/O Server releases. In these situations, you can update OpenSSH and OpenSSL on the Virtual I/O Server by downloading and installing OpenSSH and OpenSSL using the following procedure.

For more information about OpenSSL and OpenSSH, see the OpenSSL Project and Portable SSH websites.

Downloading the Open Source software

The OpenSSL software contains the encrypted library that is required to use the OpenSSH software. To download the software, complete the following tasks:

  1. Download the OpenSSL package to your workstation or host computer.
    1. To get the package, go to the AIX® Web Download Pack Programs website.
    2. If you are registered to download the packages, sign in and accept the license agreement.
    3. If you are not registered to download the packages, complete the registration process and accept the license agreement. After registering, you are redirected to the download page.
    4. Select the package for download: openSSL and click Continue.
    5. Select any version of the package and click Download now.
  2. Download the OpenSSH software by completing the following steps:
    Note: Alternatively, you can install the software from the AIX Expansion Pack.
    1. From your workstation (or host computer), go to the SourceFORGE.net Web site.
    2. Click Download OpenSSH on AIX to view the latest file releases.
    3. Select the appropriate download package and click Download.
    4. Click the openssh package (tar.Z file) to continue with the download.
  3. Create a directory on the Virtual I/O Server for the Open Source software files. For example, to create an installation directory named install_ssh, run the following command: mkdir install_ssh.
  4. Transfer the software packages to the Virtual I/O Server by running the following File Transfer Protocol (FTP) commands from the computer on which you downloaded the software packages:
    1. Run the following command to make sure that the FTP server is started on the Virtual I/O Server: startnetsvc ftp
    2. Open an FTP session to the Virtual I/O Server on your local host: ftp vios_server_hostname, where vios_server_hostname is the host name of the Virtual I/O Server.
    3. At the FTP prompt, change to the installation directory that you created for the Open Source files: cd install_ssh, where install_ssh is the directory that contains the Open Source files.
    4. Set the transfer mode to binary: binary
    5. Turn off interactive prompting if it is on: prompt
    6. Transfer the downloaded software to the Virtual I/O Server: mput ssl_software_pkg, where ssl_software_pkg is the software that you downloaded.
    7. Close the FTP session, after transferring both software packages, by typing quit.

Install the Open Source software on the Virtual I/O Server

To install the software, complete the following steps:
  1. Run the following command from the Virtual I/O Server command line: updateios -dev install_ssh -accept -install, where install_ssh is the directory that contains the Open Source files. The installation program automatically starts the Secure Shell daemon (sshd) on the server.
  2. Begin using the ssh and scp commands; no further configuration is required.
    Restrictions:
    • The sftp command is not supported on versions of Virtual I/O Server earlier than 1.3.
    • Noninteractive shells are not supported using OpenSSH with the Virtual I/O Server versions earlier than 1.3.


Last updated: Thu, October 15, 2020