This topic provides examples of SSH key generation for password-less login to the Delphix command-line interface (CLI).

Prerequisites

These operations are performed as a command-line user on a non-Dephix host, where SSH is installed.

  • usernamerefers to the existing command-line user on the non-Delphix host.

  • host name refers to the existing non-Delphix host.

The examples below should work with a variety of SSH distributions. However, your distribution may behave differently. If you are unable to follow these instructions successfully, consult with your system administrator and/or your operating system or SSH client vendor. Please note that only RSA protocol 2 keys are supported.

Procedure

The following example details three ways to set up password-less authentication:

  • Use an existing SSH key with no passphrase

  • Generate a new SSH key stored in the default location

  • Generate a new SSH key stored in a non-default location

Use an existing SSH key with no passphrase

To use an existing SSH key for password-less authentication, that key must have been established with no passphrase. If the existing SSH key has a passphrase associated with it, instead follow the instructions for generating a new SSH key stored in a non-default location below.

  1. Log in as username to hostname.

  2. In the ~username/.ssh/ directory, there are one or more .pub files. For example:

    • id_dsa.pub

    • id_rsa.pub

    • identity.pub
      The different names correspond to the different types of keys SSH can use. Only RSA protocol 2 keys are supported.

  3. Input the contents of id_rsa.pub into the publicKey field as described in CLI cookbook: configuring key-based SSH authentication for automation.

Generate a new SSH key stored in the default location

  1. Log in as username to hostname.

  2. Ensure there are no .pub files in the ~username/.ssh/ directory. If there are, you must either use the existing SSH key as described above or generate a new SSH key in a non-default location as described below.

  3. Create your RSA protocol 2 keys with no passphrase.

    1. Run ssh-keygen -t rsa
      This command creates two new files in ~username/.ssh/: id_rsa and id_rsa.pub

  4. You are prompted to type and confirm your passphrase. Press Enter twice to create a key with no passphrase for password-less authentication.

  5. Input the contents of your new id_rsa.pub file in the ~username/.ssh/ directory in the publicKey field as described in CLI cookbook: configuring key-based SSH authentication for automation.

Generate a new SSH key stored in a non-default location

  1. Log in as username to hostname.

  2. Choose the filename for your new SSH key files, for example: delphix_key and delphix_key.pub

  3. Create your keys with no passphrase.

  4. Run ssh-keygen -t rsa -f delphix_key
    This command creates two new files: delphix_key and delphix_key.pub

  5. You are prompted to type and confirm your passphrase. Press Enter twice to create a key with no passphrase for password-less authentication.

  6. Input the contents of your new .pub file in the ~username/.ssh/ directory in the publicKey field as described in CLI cookbook: configuring key-based SSH authentication for automation.

  7. On subsequent login attempts to the Delphix CLI, specify the private SSH key to use with the -i argument, for example:
    ssh -i ~/delphix_key username@delphixserver.company.com

Last updated
Oct 9, 2026