Ask HN: Saving SSH/Telnet Sessions in OSX

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6764448

by iSloth • 13 years ago

2 3 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

So I'm a network admin that's been using Windows/PuTTY for connecting to a large number of telnet and SSH services on networking kit and servers for years.

However I've recently moved over to OSX on a Mac Book, I'm quite happy with connecting to devices via Terminal/Console, just wondering what tips/tricks people have for creating shortcuts to devices?

Would be great if it was quick to use, may be also auto-login and easy to update IP's etc.

Not found anything suitable so far, so might have to throw some code together myself...

jballanc• 13 years ago

If I understand your question correctly, you probably want to create an SSH config file. See the man page for the gory details: https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin...

The config file format is slightly obtuse starting out, but with it you can create nicknames for machines, automate logging in, using different keys, etc. It's very powerful. I've gotten to the point where all I normally do at the CLI is `ssh staging` or `ssh dev` and I'll get to the right machine.

iSloth• 13 years ago

I've used something similar at the moment, basically putting in /etc/hosts entries to map a fake DNS name on my laptop e.g. "staging" to the real switch ip address, so the command "ssh staging" works.

It works well for the common devices I access, however it's not really scalable enough. There are easily over 1,000 unique CLI interfaces that we support, and call me lazy but jumping in and out of spreadsheets constantly to find the IP/Port and credentials isn't something I enjoy.

Window's with PuTTY/SecureCRT can solve some of the issues using saved sessions that you can export and import.

However I would love something in CLI on OSX where you could type 'mgr'

Then you get a prompt like, '1) switches, 2)firewalls, 3)servers, 4)routers'.

After you hit '2' you get another prompt '1) London, 2) New York, 3) Lab' and so on...

Finally when you select the device it opens either telnet/ssh (depending on the device) and may be even authenticates you in, all with terminal.

Like I said it's a wish list, and I guess I will have to end up making something my self, but no point in re-inventing the wheel if there's already someone out there with a solution :)

2close4comfort• 13 years ago

the best thing I have found so far is vssh it is worth checking out and should fill you needs nicely.

Ask HN: Saving SSH/Telnet Sessions in OSX

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