Set credentials for accessing UNIX and Linux computers
This article contains procedures for how to set credentials in wizards for the following tasks, as set by wizards in System Center - Operations Manager:
- Credentials for Installing Agents
- Credentials for Run As Accounts
- Credentials for Upgrading an Agent
- Credentials for Uninstalling an Agent
These wizards define credentials to be authenticated on the UNIX or Linux computer and follow a similar process. For an overview of how credentials are provided, see Planning Security Credentials for Accessing Unix and Linux Computers.
Important
RunAs account passwords cannot contain "illegal" characters in the Command Prompt, such as: & < ( ) @ ^ | "
Due to the use of WSMan for monitoring, having these characters in the password may cause monitoring to fail as they cannot be parsed correctly. To avoid grey agents and non-functioning monitoring, change the password to exclude these characters. A maintenance account should be OK with these symbols as this is used for SSH communication and works differently, however, to avoid potential issues down the line, please follow the same guidance for all accounts.
Credentials for discovering UNIX and Linux computers
The following procedure begins in Computer and Device Management Wizard, on the Discovery Criteria page, when you select the Set Credentials button. For more information, see Install Agent on UNIX and Linux Using the Discovery Wizard.
Set a user (unprivileged) account for discovery of an installed agent with a signed certificate.
On the Credential Settingspage, select the Default Credentials tab, and then select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and select OK.
Select OK to return to the Discovery Criteria page and continue with the wizard.
Credentials for installing agents or signing certificates of installed agents
The following procedures begin in the Computer and Device Management Wizard, on the Discovery Criteria page, when you select the Set Credentials button.
Set a privileged credential by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settingspage, select the Default Credentials tab, and then select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access, and then select OK.
Select the Agent Verification tab, and on the Agent Verification page, enter a user name and password for an account on the targeted computer. This can be a user (unprivileged) account.
Select OK to return to the Discovery Criteria page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settingspage, select the Default Credentials tab, and then select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and then select OK.
Select the Elevation page, and select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer. The su password is also used for agent verification.
If you selected sudo elevation, select the Agent Verification tab, and enter a user name and password for an account on the targeted computer. This can be a user (unprivileged) account.
Select OK to return to the Discovery Criteria page and continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Default Credentials tab, and then select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access.
Select OK to return to the Discovery Criteria page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Default Credentials tab, and then select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not privileged access, and then select OK.
Select the Elevation page, and select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password you established on the UNIX or Linux computer.
Select OK to return to the Discovery Criteria page and continue with the wizard.
Credentials for Run As accounts
The following procedures begin in the Create UNIX/Linux Run As Account Wizard when you select the type for a Run As Account (Monitoring Account or Agent Maintenance Account), a name and password and provide a description. For more information, see How to Configure Run As Accounts and Profiles for UNIX and Linux Access.
Set a privileged credential for a monitoring account
On the Account Credentials page, enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
In the Do you want to use elevation for privileged access list, select Do not use elevation with this account.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation for a monitoring account
On the Account Credentials page, enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
In the Do you want to use elevation for privileged access list, select Elevate this account using sudo for privileged access.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using an SSH key for an agent maintenance account
On the Account Credentials page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does the account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential by using an SSH key with elevation for an agent maintenance account
On the Account Credentials page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and then select Next.
Select the Elevation tab, and select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using a password for an agent maintenance account
On the Account Credentials page, select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using a password with elevation for an agent maintenance account
On the Account Credentials page, select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and then select Next.
Select the Elevation tab, and select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer.
Select Next to continue with the wizard.
Credentials for upgrading an agent
The following procedures begin in the UNIX/Linux Agent Upgrade Wizard on the Credentials page when you select Provide Upgrade Credentials. For more information, see Upgrading and Uninstalling Agents on UNIX and Linux Computers.
Set a privileged credential by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settings page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access, and then select OK.
On the Agent Verification page, enter a user name and password for an account on the targeted computer. This can be a user (unprivileged) account.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settings page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and then select OK.
Select the Elevation page, and select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer, and then select OK. The su password is also used for agent verification.
If you select sudo elevation, select Agent Verification. On the Agent Verification page, enter a user name and password for an account on the targeted computer. This can be a user (unprivileged) account.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access .
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not privileged access, and then select OK.
On the Elevation page, select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Credentials for uninstalling an agent
The following procedures begin in the UNIX/Linux Agent Uninstall Wizard on the Credentials page when you select Provide Uninstall Credentials. For more information, see, Upgrading and Uninstalling Agents on UNIX and Linux Computers.
Set a privileged credential by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settings page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access, and then select OK.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using an SSH key
On the Credential Settings page, select the SSH key option.
Enter a user name, the path, and name of the key, or select Browse.
Enter a passphrase if the key requires it.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not have privileged access, and then select OK.
On the Elevation page, select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer, and then select OK. The su password is also used for agent verification.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set a privileged credential by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Password option.
Enter a user name, a password, and password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account has privileged access .
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Set an unprivileged credential with elevation by using a password
On the Credential Settings page, select the Password option.
Type a user name, a password, and the password confirmation.
This password is used for agent verification.
In the Does this account have privileged access list, select This account does not privileged access, and then select OK.
On the Elevation page, select su or sudo elevation.
If you select su elevation, enter the superuser password as established on the UNIX or Linux computer.
Select OK to return to the Credentials page and continue with the wizard.
Next steps
To understand how to authenticate and monitor your UNIX and Linux computers, see Credentials You Must Have to Access UNIX and Linux Computers
To understand how to elevate an unprivileged account for effective monitoring of UNIX and Linux computers, see How to Configure sudo Elevation and SSH Keys
If you need to reconfigure Operations Manager to use a different cipher, see Configuring SSL Ciphers.