MOVEit Automation can import existing keys that have been generated elsewhere.

You can generate keys using readily available tools. The most common SSH implementation, OpenSSH, generates its keys via ssh-keygen, which is installed on most distributions of Linux, and is available on Windows 10 and Windows Server. The PuTTY Key Generator (PuTTYgen), part of the PuTTY utility that can be installed on Windows, can also be used to generate ssh client keys.

MOVEit Automation only supports importing the OpenSSH SSH-2 (old PEM) format. Other key formats can be converted to the PEM format using PuTTYgen or ssh-keygen. You can use MOVEit Automation to import password protected and unprotected keys.

Generating a key using ssh-keygen

A typical command to generate an ssh client key suitable to be imported into MOVEit Automation using ssh-keygen is: ssh-keygen -t rsa -m PEM

This command requires some information from the user, and you can optionally add a password. A private and public key of the correct format is created and saved to a specified location.

Generating a key with the PuTTY Key Generator

Use the PuTTY Key Generator GUI to create a key. PuTTYgen exports two files, one for a private key and one for a public key. To generate a file in the supported format, export the PuTTY key as an OpenSSH Key (using the Conversions menu). The passphrase you designate will also be used for the exported OpenSSH key. Do not use the use new format option.

To import an SSH Client Key into MOVEit Automation:

  1. Transfer the private key (the file that does not end in .pub) to a location that can be accessed from the computer where you are running MOVEit Automation Web Admin.
  2. In Web Admin, click RESOURCES > Keys and Certs. Click Import > SSH Client Key.
  3. Browse to and select the key. The Add Imported SSH Client Key dialog box opens.
  4. Provide a Friendly Name and optional Password, and click Add Key.

Configuring the key on the SSH/SFTP host

After a key has been created, the SSH/SFTP host must be configured to authorize the key for logon. The procedure for this depends on the type of SSH/SFTP software running on the remote host. Contact the SSH/SFTP host administrator for instructions on how to utilize a client key for logon.