Uploading ssh pub key to iDrac8

 

I have a dell R730xd server with an iDrac8 and I want to add my ssh pub key to the root user so I don’t have to keep entering my password when logging in.

 

Go to Overview à iDrac Settings à User Authentication

 

 

Then click on the root user (User ID), in my case the 2.

 

 

Select “Upload SSH Key(s) and click next

 

 

Now choose a file or select text and paste it in.

 

Click Apply.

 

 

The keys uploaded with SSH Key1 and SSH Key2 are invalid. Re-upload with the valid key

 

 

Hmm it does not think they are valid...

Looks like you can only use keys up to 4,096 bits see iDRAC 8/7 v2.30.30.30 User’s Guide Generating public keys for Windows [1]

 

OK let me make a special local key just for my iDrac.

> ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -f ~/.ssh/idrac_rsa -C "idrac"

 

Now cat out and copy the pub key

> cat ~/.ssh/idrac_rsa.pub

 

Then paste it in and hit apply

 

Now let’s test it (of course update this to match your server ip or dns name)

 

> ssh -i ~/.ssh/idrac_rsa root@dad-idrac8

 

 

It works!

Now let m update my .ssh/config file to use this new key when logging into the iDrac

> sudo vi ~/.ssh/config

 

Add in the following to your idrac server setttings

IdentityFile ~/.ssh/idrac_rsa     IdentitiesOnly yes

 

 

And that worked!

 

 

References

1.      1. iDRAC 8/7 v2.30.30.30 User’s Guide Generating public keys for Windows
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-sg/poweredge-fc430/idrac8_2.30.30.30_ug/generating-public-keys-for-windows?guid=guid-d77bbcd8-34a5-4120-803d-2a43d99f9b98&lang=en-us
Viewed 10/2026