VMware Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Chapter 6. General Security

In this chapter we will provide solutions to help you maintain a secure virtual environment, using technologies that are already available to you in your VMware implementation. This chapter will cover a lot of basic Linux-related material focused around ESX 3.x/4.x, because the ESX Server has Red Hat Linux as its base. We will also discuss increasing security with ESXi 5.x, and the newer updated commands.

This chapter will focus on using the command line for security and monitoring tasks. Most of the tasks we’ll examine (aside from user-related tasks such as role management) can be performed using the vCenter client, and in fact that is VMware’s suggested method. However, we feel that users should know how to use alternative ways to manage their ESX Servers, in case there are problems that prevent the use of the vCenter client. Thus, we have chosen to focus on the command line in this chapter. If you need details on performing any of these tasks via the vCenter, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with an excellent document VMware provides on security.

6.1. Enabling SSH on ESX 3.5 / ESX 4.x

Problem

ESX 3.5/4.x ONLY - You need to enable remote SSH access.

Solution

Follow the steps in the recipe to enable SSH. However, note that leaving direct root SSH disabled is the suggested configuration.

Discussion

SSH is a valuable service to have on your service console because it provides a way for an administrator to go behind the VMware GUI and issue commands ...