SSH Plug-in for Aria Automation Orchestrator (formerly vRealize Orchestrator) provides a convenient way to work with remote hosts via SSH. However, the plugin has some limitations and quirks that can make it challenging to use. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the issues and workarounds for using the SSH Plug-in in Aria Automation Orchestrator.

Issue 1: Objects SSHHostManager and SSHHost are not useful

The SSH Plug-in provides two objects, SSHHostManager and SSHHost, which seem to be useful at first glance. However, they do not provide any practical functionality, and the plugin relies solely on the SSHSession object for all practical purposes. The SSHHostManager and SSHHost objects only serve as a container for the SSHSession object, and they do not offer any additional features or methods to work with remote hosts.

Issue 2: SSHSession is not linked to SSHHost objects

The SSHSession object is responsible for managing all the practical aspects of SSH connections, such as authentication, session management, and file transfers. However, the SSHSession object is not linked to the SSHHost objects in any meaningful way. This means that you need to create a separate SSHSession object for each host you want to work with, even if you have already created an SSHHost object for that host.

Issue 3: Key pair management is inconvenient

The SSH Plug-in provides a limited key pair management feature, which can be inconvenient when working with multiple hosts. The plugin generates a key pair for vRO and stores it in the /var/lib/vco/app-server/conf/vco_key directory. If you want to use a different key pair for a particular host, you need to generate a new key pair using the KeyPairManager.generateKeyPair() method and specify the desired parameters.

Issue 4: SSHSession creation is not straightforward

To create an SSHSession object, you need to provide all the necessary connection details, such as the hostname, port number, username, and password. However, this process can be cumbersome and error-prone, especially when working with multiple hosts.

Workaround 1: Use the existing SSHHost objects

One way to simplify the process of working with remote hosts is to use the existing SSHHost objects. Instead of creating a separate SSHSession object for each host, you can use the SSHHost objects to create an SSHSession object. This approach can save time and effort, especially when working with multiple hosts.

Workaround 2: Use the KeyPairManager

Another way to simplify key pair management is to use the KeyPairManager. This method allows you to generate a key pair for a particular host without having to specify all the connection details. Instead of generating a key pair for vRO, you can use the KeyPairManager to generate a key pair for a specific host and store it in the desired location.

Workaround 3: Use temporary files for file transfers

When working with remote hosts, it is sometimes necessary to transfer files between the local machine and the remote host. The SSH Plug-in provides a limited file transfer feature that only works with files located on the server where vRO is installed. To overcome this limitation, you can use temporary files to store information and perform file transfers. The /data/vco/usr/lib/vco/app-server/temp directory is a good location for temporary files, as it is already mounted on the server where vRO is installed.

In conclusion, the SSH Plug-in for Aria Automation Orchestrator (formerly vRealize Orchestrator) provides a convenient way to work with remote hosts via SSH. However, it has some limitations and quirks that can make it challenging to use. By using the existing SSHHost objects, the KeyPairManager, and temporary files, you can simplify the process of working with remote hosts and overcome some of the limitations of the SSH Plug-in.