Configure or Repair Agents Task with ssh error

[Bernd Theobalt]

Hello all,

I tried to run a Configure or Repair Agents to an ESX 3.5 host, because I wan't to change my snmp setup. I start the task with the new snmp comunity only, all other options were unchecked. The task failed withe following message:
Error while establishing SSH connection. Check username/password. Also ensure that SSH password authentication is enabled on the target.
That host was fully configured with insight agents V8.3.0 and fully visible in HP-SIM 5.3-1. I'm able to logon via putty or ssh in a cmd-window. I have modifierd the following parameters in the sshd_config file:
PermitRootLogin yes
PasswordAuthentication yes

Here you can see the output of an identify system of these host:

Starting identification process...
Checking for known running web servers.
Checking for System Management Home Page and other HP web agents.
Received a response from the system management homepage on the SSL port, this system supports SMH.
Checking for WBEM support on system.
This system has WBEM protocol support
This system does not have any SMI-S CIMOM installed
Running WBEM rules based identification.
Cannot get ComputerSystem WBEM/WMI data from the system
Running VM Identification.
The system is not a VM Host, or WBEM credentials may not be specified, skipping VM Identification
Running WS-Man identification.
The system did not respond to WS-Management, verify credentials.
Checking for SNMP support on system.
The system responded to a SNMP request, it supports SNMP.
Running SNMP base Cluster identification using common cluster MIB.
This was not a system with the common cluster MIBs supported.
Running HP ProLiant management agent identification
System has the SNMP ProLiant server (foundation) agents installed, adding system type.
Running HP NetServer identification.
System supports the NetServer SNMP agent, adding system type
Running HP-UX SNMP identification.
System does not have the HPUX SNMP agents installed.
Running SNMP System Type Manager identification.
No matching SNMP System Type Manager rule was found.
Checking for DMI protocol support.
The Windows CMS cannot communicate with HP-UX or other DMI, skipping.
Running DMI System Type Manager identification.
The system does not have Windows DMI support.
Running HP-UX DMI identification.
The system does not have HP-UX DMI support.
Running HP/Compaq Desktop identification.
The system does not have Windows DMI support.
Running HP DMI Desktop identification.
The system does not have HP DMI Desktop support.
Running Generic DMI identification.
The system does not have Generic DMI support.
Running SSH Protocol identification.
The system supports SSH protocol
Running SSH Identification.
This system passed the ssh authentication; it has a valid ssh credential
OS Name is identified by other identifier; continue to run other commands
Running Storage identification.
Storage identification completed.
Running HP Service Guard Identification.
The system is not part of HP Service Guard cluster
Running SNMP Subtypes identification
No additional subtypes found from SNMP
Create bare-metal device nodes if OA is discovered with "Automatic Device discovery" option enabled.
Create bare-metal server node if ILO is discovered with "Automatic Server discovery" option enabled.
Checking if this system is supported by Insight Power Manager.
Running VM identification.
VMM is installed, but the system is not a VM Host or may not be configured in VMM
Building system relationships.
Running limited data collection for common attribute.
The SSH key-based access authentication is not configured on this system. To configure SSH access authentication, go to Configure -> Configure or Repair Agents.
SMH trust status is true.
Running node communication diagnosis
System identification done with this system.

As you can see, wbem is ok, snmp is ok and ssh configuration is ok as well. If I start an config and repair on that system the task ends very quickly in "failed" and I get these messages:
stdout:
Configuring SSH authentication (START)...
Configure SSH for host based authentication (DONE)................. [SUCCESS]


Re-identifying system to get update information ...

stderr:
Error while establishing SSH connection. Check username/password. Also ensure that SSH password authentication is enabled on the target.

I have tried to run the task with root credentials as well with a unpriviledged user with privledge elevation, but every time the same fault.

Any idea to fix that problem?

Bernd

[Hobbes_2 · Accepted solution]

If you already have root enabled access through ssh, re-run your repair agents and only select "Configure secure shell (SSH) access authentication" and make sure you select "User based authentication for user". Use the root credentials. If that is successful, re-run your SNMP repair using either root or a standard user with elevation.

[PNair]

What you have done is correct.

Enable root login and permitPassword authentication. Make sure you re-start SSH after doing that.

Once SSH is restarted on the target system, try Configure Or repair Agents to configure SNMP again with the correct root credentials.

[Bernd Theobalt]

Thanks for your recommendations. I have configured two tasks on two different HP-SIM server, one with SIM 5.2-2, the other with 5.3-1. First, I configured the tasks that only "User based authentication for user" option was enabled. Here is the output form both tasks:
From SIM 5.2-2:
Configuration of agents started, waiting for it to be completed.
Configure Agents and Providers (START) ...
Configuring SSH authentication (START)...
Configure SSH for user based authentication (DONE)................. [SUCCESS]

Re-identifying system to get update information (START) ...
Re-Identification of system (DONE).............................. [SUCCESS].

From SIM 5.3-1:
Configuring SSH authentication (START)...
Configure SSH for user based authentication (DONE)................. [SUCCESS]

Re-identifying system to get update information ...

As you can see, both tasks ran without errors. Then I have configured the same (saved) tasks with enabled check boxes for snmp community and trap destination only. Here is the output:
From SIM 5.2-2:
Stdout:
Configuration of agents started, waiting for it to be completed.
Configure Agents and Providers (START) ...

Stderr:
Error while establishing SSH connection. Check username/password.

From SIM 5.3-1:
Stdout:
Nothing, empty page!

Stderr:
Error while establishing SSH connection. Check username/password. Also ensure that SSH password authentication is enabled on the target.

Both tasks ran in status "failed" with complaining bad username/password. The same task ran without errors several minutes ago! For testing, I modified the task with a wrong password and start it again with ssh configuration check box enabled for "User based authentication for user". The expected error occurs:
Configuration of agents started, waiting for it to be completed.
Configure Agents and Providers (START) ...
Configuring SSH authentication (START)...
Configure SSH for user based authentication (DONE).................. [FAILED]
Configuration failed to complete due to the following exception:
SSH Password authentication failed for target system: ml350-esx.deu.hp.com.Check password and try again.

Now I ran the same task with the snmp checkboxed enabled only, here is the output:
Stdout:
Configuration of agents started, waiting for it to be completed.
Configure Agents and Providers (START) ...
Stderr:
Error while establishing SSH connection. Check username/password.

The task ran into failed, with the same output like my first run with the right username/password configuration. What happens here?

Best regards

Bernd

[Hobbes_2]

That is odd, Bernd. The only thing I can think of is that editing a task may require you to re-input the credentials. It would make sense to me that any change to a scheduled task would require you re-enter the credentials for security reasons. I don't think this is the case with SIM but you could give it a shot.

What happens if you put the right credentials back in and just run just the SSH config like you did first. Does that still work?

[Bernd Theobalt]

It doesn't matter if I modify the task or create a new one with new typed username/password, the task termiates very fast with status failed. For verification, I started a task on one of my windows server with modifing of the snmp settings and that task runs without error. I have a question:
In the Configure or Repair Agents headline I saw the description "Repair Agent Settings for Windows, HP-UX and Linux servers". Is VMware ESX not supported, even it is based on a Linux kernel?

[Hobbes_2]

The Repair Agents will work for VMware as well. Do the VMware logs show your attempt at a login?

[PNair]

If you have a customer support contact at HP, working with them will help. You might need to enable logs to understand what is going on.