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AWS

Last updated: 21 Oct 2020

SSH into machines

This document explains how to SSH into machines, and what commands exist to navigate machines and applications quickly. We use a tool called GOV.UK Connect to make this easier.

Usage

If you know the class of machine you want, you can SSH straight from the command line:

$ gds govuk connect -e staging ssh cache

This will automatically SSH into a random cache machine on AWS.

To see all classes, run:

$ gds govuk connect -e staging ssh *

You can connect to specific machines if you know their internal IP address:

$ gds govuk connect ssh -e integration ip-10-1-6-234.eu-west-1.compute.internal

You can also start a Rails Console on a remote server, from your local machine:

$ gds govuk connect -e staging app-console publishing-api

For a full list of commands, run gds govuk connect --help.

Troubleshooting

SSH Key

Sometimes you might try to ssh into a server and nothing happens. Double-check that you have added the key into the keychain like so: ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa.

Make sure you have been granted access. For example, if you have yet to be granted access to production, your attempt to SSH into a production node will fail silently.

CLI Problems

GOV.UK Connect is a tool we use to make working with our machines quicker and easier. If it's not working, you can try manually running the commands it normally runs for you.

  • Find the class of machine you need (and which cloud it lives in).

  • Find the jumpbox for the environment you need.

  • SSH to the jumpbox.

    $ ssh -A jumpbox.staging.govuk.digital

  • On the jumpbox, run govuk_node_list to find the machine you want.

    $ govuk_node_list -c backend
ip-10-12-4-106.eu-west-1.compute.internal
ip-10-12-5-205.eu-west-1.compute.internal
ip-10-12-6-44.eu-west-1.compute.internal

  • Still on the jumpbox, SSH to one of the machines in the list.

    $ ssh ip-10-12-4-106.eu-west-1.compute.internal

  • Once you're on the machine you need, you can start a Rails console.

    $ govuk_app_console publishing-api

These common commands, along with govuk_node_list, live in govuk-puppet.

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