Crypto Key Generate Rsa Command Not Working

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This How-To guide will walk you through setting up (configuring and enabling) SSH on a HP ProCurve Switch using the Web Interface.
It assumes you can access the switch via the web interface and have read-write access.
This walkthrough does NOT implement Client Public Key Authentication and has the Switch Authenticate against itself.

4 Steps total

Step 1: Log into the Switch

Log into the switch's Web interface using an account with read-write permissions.

Step 2: Create a Certificate

Note: This step will create a self-signed certificate but you can also create a request and have your Enterprise CA sign it if your environment has it available.

Crypto Key Generate Rsa Ssh

On the Security Tab, Select Create Certificate/ Create Request.
Select Self-Signed from the drop down box and fill in the appropriate fields.
be sure the Validity start and end dates are current.

Click Apply Changes to create the certificate.

Step 3: Generate a Private/Public Key pair

Navigate over to the Configuration Tab
Click on 'telnet session to the switch console.' - This will open a black command prompt looking window.
Press any key to continue
Type in your username
Type in your password
Type in 'config' (This is the step it is left out of most other directions)
Type in 'crypto key generate ssh'
The switch will now generate a key.
If this step fails, verify your are in 'config'mode

Crypto Key Generate Rsa 2048

Step 4: Enable SSH

Now that you have created a certificate and the appropriate keys, you can enable SSH on the switch.

Type in 'ip ssh' in the Telnet CLI.
Thats it. SSH should now be enabled.

You can verify its enabled by typing in 'show ip ssh'

After following these instructions, you should have been sucessfully able to configure and enable SSH on your HP ProCurve Switch. The steps and screenshot in this How-To were completed using the latest Firmware for that switch 'N.11.48'.
You should now be able to have Spiceworks scan your switches using SSH which will allow spiceworks to monitor and backup their configuration.

References

• HP Access Security Guide

5 Comments

• Poblano
  TeBear Dec 10, 2013 at 04:24pm

  I found there is no need for Step 1 or Step 2

  Telnet into switch and run following commands:

  >enable
  >config
  >crypto key generate ssh

  Seems to do the trick. looks like ssh is enabled out of the box (Step 4) on Procurve though you need to generate the key to be able to use it.

• Serrano
  BoJlk Jan 6, 2014 at 07:49am

  Thanks for the steps.
  you must crypto key generate ssh in config mode before enabling SSH on your switch.
  Step 2 - Create a Certificate helpfull if you want to access with HTTPS to your switch.

• Serrano
  Felix_da_CAT5 May 16, 2014 at 08:03am

  isnt it necessary to save the configuration after any alteration in order to keep working after a reboot?

• Cayenne
  Nathan Bareham Aug 2, 2014 at 07:22pm

  i can scan, but the config does not seem to be backing up. any ideas?

• Chipotle
  Dr-Drew Nov 25, 2015 at 10:00pm

  Always a good idea to 'write mem' when your done in the CLI.... :o)