Connect to an Arc VM on Azure Local using SSH and RDP over SSH

Applies to: Azure Local 2311.2 and later

This article provides an example to connect to an Azure Arc VM on Azure Local using Secure Shell (SSH) and Remote Desktop (RDP) over SSH. The example demonstrates enabling the OpenSSH Server via the Arc Extension using Azure portal and Azure CLI.

More about the SSH Server Extension

You can open an RDP connection to every Windows Server from the Azure CLI without a VPN or another open port through your firewall. For more information, see SSH access to Azure Arc-enabled servers.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you:

1. Have access to Azure Local that is running the latest version of software.

2. Install the OpenSSH Server Extension.

   You can install the OpenSSH Server Extension via Azure portal or using PowerShell. Installing the extension via Azure portal is the recommended method.

   Install the OpenSSH Server Extension via Azure portal

   To install the extension via Azure portal, navigate to Extensions and select the OpenSSH for Windows - Azure Arc option.

   

   Install the OpenSSH Server Extension via PowerShell

   Use the following steps to install the OpenSSH Server Extension via PowerShell:

   1. Open a Windows PowerShell session as an administrator.

   2. Run the following cmdlets to ensure that the required Azure CLI Extensions are installed:

   PowerShell

   az extension add --upgrade --name connectedmachine
   az extension add --upgrade --name ssh
   

   c. Sign in to Azure:

   PowerShell

   az login --use-device-code
   

   d. Set appropriate parameters:

   PowerShell

   $resourceGroup="<your resource group>"
   $serverName = "<your server name>"
   $location = "<your location>"
   $localUser = "<your username>" # Use a local admin account for testing        
   

   e. Install the OpenSSH Arc Extension:

   PowerShell

   az connectedmachine extension create --name WindowsOpenSSH 
   --type WindowsOpenSSH --publisher Microsoft.Azure.OpenSSH --type-handler-version 3.0.1.0 --machine-name $serverName --resource-group $resourceGroup
   

   Here's a sample output:

   PowerShell

   PS C:\Users\labadmin> az connectedmachine extension create --name WindowsOpenSSH --location westeurope --type WindowsOpenSSH --publisher Microsoft.Azure.OpenSSH --type-handler-version 3.0.1.0 --machine-name $serverName --resource-group $resourceGroup
   {
     "id": "/subscriptions/<SubscriptionName>/resourceGroups/<ResourceGroupName>/providers/<ProviderName>/machines/<MachineName>/extensions/WindowsOpenSSH",
     "location": "westeurope",
     "name": "WindowsOpenSSH",
     "properties": {
       "autoUpgradeMinorVersion": false,
       "enableAutomaticUpgrade": true,
       "instanceView": {
         "name": "WindowsOpenSSH",
         "status": {
           "code": "0",
           "level": "Information",
           "message": "Extension Message: OpenSSH Successfully enabled"
         },
         "type": "WindowsOpenSSH",
         "typeHandlerVersion": "3.0.1.0"
       },
        "provisioningState": "Succeeded",
        "publisher": "Microsoft.Azure.OpenSSH",
        "type": "WindowsOpenSSH",
        "typeHandlerVersion": "3.0.1.0",
     },
     "resourceGroup": "<ResourceGroupName>",
     "type": "Microsoft.HybridCompute/machines/extensions"
   }
   PS C:\Users\labadmin>
   

   f. You can see WindowsOpenSSH Extension in the Azure portal Extensions list view.

   

Use SSH to connect to an Arc VM on Azure Local

备注

You may be asked to allow Arc SSH to set up port 22 for SSH.

Use the following steps to connect to Azure Local.

1. Run the following command to launch Arc SSH and sign in to the server:

   PowerShell

   az ssh arc --resource-group $resourceGroup --name $serverName --local-user $localUser
   

   You're now connected to Azure Local over SSH:

   

Use RDP over SSH to connect an Arc VM on Azure Local

1. To sign into Azure Local using RDP over SSH, run the following command with the RDP parameter:

   PowerShell

   az ssh arc --resource-group $resourceGroup --name $serverName --local-user $localUser --rdp
   

2. Sign in to the local server for RDP over SSH.

   

3. Sign in to authenticate for RDP.

   

4. You can see the desktop for the remote desktop connection.

   

   You set up an RDP tunnel over SSH into your Azure Local using Azure CLI without any VPN or open ports at your firewall.

Next steps

• What is Azure Arc VM management?