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Chapter 7 Adminis tering the Switch Configuring the Switch for Secure Shell

Configuring the Switch for Se cure Sh ell

This section describes how to configure the Secure Shell (SSH) feature. To use this feature, the crypto
(encrypted) multilayer software image must be installed on your switch. You must download this
software im age fr om Cisco. com. For mo re inform atio n, refer to the relea se notes for this rel ease.
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this section, refer to the “Secure
Shell Co mmands” section in the Cisco IOS S ecurit y Co mma nd Ref erence for Re leas e 12 .1.

Understanding SSH

SSH is a protocol that provide s a secure, remot e connection to a Layer 2 or a Layer 3 device. There are
two versio ns of SSH: SSH version 1 and SSH version 2. This software relea se only suppor ts SSH
version 1.
SSH provides more security for remote connections than Telnet by providing strong encryption when a
device is authenticated. The SSH feature has an SSH server and an SSH integrated client. The client
supports t hese user au thentic ation me thods:
TACACS+ (for m ore i nfo rma tion , see the Controlling Switch Access with TACACS+ section on
page 7-10)
RADIUS (for more information, see the Controlling Switch Access with R ADIUS section on
page 7-18)
Local authentication and authorizatio n (for more information, see the Configuring the Sw itch for
Local Authentication and Authorization section on pa ge 7-32)
For more in fo rmat ion a bou t S SH , refe r to t h e “Configuring Sec ure Shell” s ec t io n in t he Cisco IOS
Security Configuration Guide for Rele ase 12.2.
Note The SSH feature in this software releas e does not support IP Security (IPSec).

Configuring SSH

Before configuri ng SSH, download the c rypto so ftware image f rom C is co.c om. For more infor mati on,
refer to the relea se notes for this relea se.
For informat ion about configuring SSH and displ aying SSH set tings, refe r to the Configuri ng Secure
Shell section in the Cisco IOS S ecuri ty Co nfiguration Gu ide for Re lea se 12.2.