Create and place an SSH key on a cloud server

Last update: October 05 2026Open in Markdown

SSH keys can be used to securely connect to a server over an encrypted SSH protocol. This is a key pair: the private key is stored on the local computer, and the public key is placed on the server.

For authorization on a cloud server, we recommend using SSH keys instead of a login and password.

You can use ed25519, rsa, ecdsa, and dsa SSH keys. Learn more about SSH keys for users.

1. Create an SSH key pair.

2. Optional: add the public SSH key to the user profile.

3. Place the public SSH key on a cloud server.

1. Create an SSH key pair

You can create SSH keys in two ways:

• using OS tools;
• using the OpenStack CLI.

Create an SSH key pair via the OS

Linux/macOS

1. Open the CLI.

2. Generate an SSH key pair:

   ssh-keygen -t <key_type>

   Specify <key_type> — the SSH key type: ed25519, rsa, ecdsa, or dsa

3. A message will appear asking you to choose a directory to store the key pair—example for an RSA key:

   Enter file in which to save the key (~/.ssh/id_rsa):

   To leave the default key storage directory, press Enter. If you want to choose a different directory, enter it in the format /path/to/id_rsa and press Enter.

4. Optional: enter a passphrase for additional security, repeat it, and press Enter:

   Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
   Enter same passphrase again:

5. Wait for a message that the keys have been generated. Two files will be created: id_rsa (private key) and id_rsa.pub (public key). The key fingerprint and its image will appear in the terminal:

   Your identification has been saved in ~/.ssh/id_rsa
   Your public key has been saved in ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
   The key fingerprint is:
   The key's randomart image is:

6. Display the public SSH key:

   cat <path>

   Specify <path> — the full path to the public key you specified in step 3, for example, ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.

Windows

1. Install PuTTY.

2. Open the PuTTYgen application.

3. In the Parameters → Type of key to generate field, select the RSA key type.

4. Click Generate.

5. Move your cursor in the PuTTYgen window until the key pair is created.

6. After generating the keys, click Save public key and Save private key.

7. Specify the path to store the keys.

8. Optional: in the Key passphrase field, enter a passphrase for additional security.

9. Copy the public SSH key.

Create an SSH key pair via OpenStack CLI

The SSH key will only be available for the single service user, project, and pool for which you configured authorization in the OpenStack API.

When generating SSH keys via OpenStack CLI, the public key is automatically added to the user profile.

1. Open the OpenStack CLI.

2. Generate an SSH key pair:

   openstack keypair create <key_name> --private-key <file_for_key>

   Specify:

   • <key_name> — key name;
   • <file_for_key> — the file where the private SSH key will be saved on the local computer.

2. Optional: add a public SSH key to the user profile

A public SSH key can be added to your profile or another user's profile. You can then place the key on the server during creation or on an existing server.

The key will be available in all projects the user is added to.

If you generated the SSH key pair via OpenStack CLI, the public key was automatically added to your profile.

To your profile

1. In the control panel, open the menu (account number) in the upper-right corner and select Profile.

2. Go to the Access section.

3. Open the SSH keys tab.

4. Click Add key.

5. Enter the key name.

6. Paste the public SSH key in OpenSSH format.

7. Click Add.

To another user's profile

Use the Add SSH key subsection of the Change user data or permissions instructions. Only the Account Owner and a user with the role iam.admin can add keys for other users.

The key will be available in all projects the user is added to.

3. Place a public SSH key on a cloud server

You can place a public SSH key when creating a cloud server or on an existing server.

To access a cloud server via SSH, add the public SSH key to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file on the server. You can add multiple keys, for example, if multiple users need access.

Public SSH keys can be placed on an existing server using a utility or manually.

Via a utility

The utility appends the public SSH key to the end of the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. The command used creates the directory and file if they do not exist yet.

From Linux/macOS

1. Open the CLI on your local computer.

2. Copy the public SSH key to the cloud server:

   ssh-copy-id -i <path> <username>@<ip_address>

   Specify:

   • <path> — full path to the public key on the local computer, for example, ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub;
   • <username> — username;
   • <ip_address> ― public IP address of the server.

3. Enter the user password.

From Windows

1. Open the CLI on your local computer.

2. Copy the public SSH key to the cloud server:

   scp <local_path> <username>@<ip_address>:<server_path>

   Specify:

   • <local_path> — full path to the public key on the local computer;
   • <username> — username;
   • <ip_address> — public IP address of the server;
   • <server_path> — path for storing the public key on the server, for example, C:\Users\username\.ssh\authorized_keys.

Manually

1. Open the file containing the public SSH key on your local computer:

   Linux/macOS

   cat <path>

   Specify <path> — the full path to the public key on the local computer, for example, ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.

   Windows

   type <path>

   Specify <path> — the full path to the public key on the local computer, for example, C:\Users\username\.ssh\id_rsa.pub.

2. Copy the value of the public SSH key.

3. Connect to the server.

4. Go to the .ssh directory:

   cd .ssh

5. Create the authorized_keys file:

   touch authorized_keys

6. Add the public SSH key to the authorized_keys file:

   echo <public_ssh_key> >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

   Specify <public_ssh_key> — the public SSH key you copied in step 2. Starts with ssh-rsa.

7. Configure access rights:

   chmod 700 ~/.ssh
   chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys``

SSH keys for users

How to add a key to a user profile	For yourself: in the control panel, open the menu (account number) in the upper-right corner → Profile → Access section → SSH keys tab; for another user: in the control panel top menu, click IAM → Control panel users or Service users section → user page; added automatically when creating SSH keys via the OpenStack CLI (command openstack keypair create); via API; via Terraform; via selvpc CLI
How to place on a cloud server when creating a server	Via the OpenStack CLI (command openstack server create); via API; via Terraform
Available for which users	For one user of any type
Available in which projects	In all projects the user is added to
Available in which pools	Available in all pools if added in the control panel under Account → Users → tab with the required user type → user page; available only in pools in which it was added via OpenStack CLI, API, Terraform, selvpc CLI
Where to view the key list	Your own: in the control panel, open the menu (account number) in the upper-right corner → Profile → Access section → SSH keys tab; other users: in the control panel top menu, click IAM → Control panel users or Service users section → user page; via the OpenStack CLI (command openstack keypair list); via API; via Terraform; via selvpc CLI