How to install and enable SSH server in openSUSE / SLES

SSH service in openSUSE / SLES is provided by the openssh-server package which is automatically installed but not enabled during installation. It means that SSH service does not automatically start during system boot and you will not be able to log in to your machine via SSH even though it is already installed.

You can configure SSH server to automatically start on openSUSE startup via any of these methods:

• Enable SSH server in openSUSE during installation
• Enable SSH server in openSUSE from command line

You can enable SSH service during openSUSE's installation during the Firewall and SSH section on the Installation Settings screen.

Set the options to the followings before clicking the Install button:

• Firewall will be enabled
• SSH service will be enabled
• SSH port will be open

If you missed the option during installation or simply just need it later, you'll have to manually enable and configure the necessary from the terminal.

1. Switch to root user.

   > su -
   Password:

2. Check the current status of sshd daemon to confirm. The status should be Active: inactive (dead).

   # systemctl status sshd
   ● sshd.service - OpenSSH Daemon
      Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; disabled; vendor preset: disab>
      Active: inactive (dead)

3. Start sshd service vis systemd.

   # systemctl start sshd

4. Check if sshd is successfully started.

   # systemctl status sshd
   ● sshd.service - OpenSSH Daemon
      Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabl>
      Active: active (running) since Sat 2018-06-02 23:06:28 +08; 41s ago
    Main PID: 10407 (sshd)
       Tasks: 1
      CGroup: /system.slice/sshd.service
              └─10407 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
   
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg systemd[1]: Starting OpenSSH Daemon...
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg sshd-gen-keys-start[10403]: Checking for missing server keys>
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg sshd-gen-keys-start[10403]: ssh-keygen: generating new host >
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg sshd[10407]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg sshd[10407]: Server listening on :: port 22.
   Jun 02 23:06:28 linux-tgtg systemd[1]: Started OpenSSH Daemon.

5. Set sshd to automatically start during boot.

   # systemctl enable sshd
   Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/sshd.service → /usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service.

6. Enable firewall rule for ssh.

   # firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh
   success

7. Reload firewall rules.

   # firewall-cmd --reload
   success