OpenVMS / Sun Solaris 9 SSH problem

[Dave Gudewicz]

We seem to have problems exchanging keys using SSH from OpenVMS TCPIP Services v5.4 eco 5 with Sun Solaris 9.

Here's what we get when we try to connect to a Solaris 9 box from OpenVMS.

ssh x.x.x.x
warning: Authentication failed.
Disconnected; connection lost (Connection closed.)

SSH seems to be working fine otherwise. A PC Reflections SSH connection to the same Solaris 9 box works. Other platforms here don't have the problem OpenVMS does.

[Volker Halle]

Dave,

TCPIP V5.5 SSH seems to include a 'verbose' or 'debug' mode, see $ ssh -h

Try $ SSH -v node
or $ SSH -d n node
(the higher the value for n, the more debug info you get, n= 0 ... 99).

Volker.

[Steven Schweda · Accepted solution]

"ssh -v" is a good start, but the problem is
most likely with the key file format.

The key file formats differ between VMS and
Solaris. If you make the keys on VMS and
copy them to Solaris, you need to run them
through "ssh-keygen -X" (or -i, depending)
on the Solaris system.

I don't remember if there's a comparable way
to go in the other direction, but in the
worst case, make a key file on each system
(a dummy one on the system where you didn't
make the real key file), observe the
formats, and hand-edit the real one to match
the format of the dummy one.

You might learn more by searching this forum
and/or comp.os.vms for "ssh-keygen".

I have this working at home, so it is
possible. (I made my keys on VMS and did
the conversion on the Solaris system.) I
have the details written down somewhere, so
if you get desperate, let me know.