SSH Management

SSH Access to a Container

SSH access gives you command-line control of application containers for file management, monitoring, process administration, archive handling and runtime configuration. The platform supports browser-based Web SSH as well as access through an SSH gateway from a local client.

In this article

SSH Access Methods

Two SSH workflows are available for working with containers.

Web SSHOpen a terminal directly from the dashboard by selecting Web SSH for the required environment layer or individual container.
SSH GatewayConnect from a local SSH client using an SSH key pair. Add the public key to account settings and keep the matching private key on the local machine.
Open Web SSH from the dashboard
Open Web SSH for a layer or a specific container.
SSH keys in account settings
Add the public key to the account before using a local SSH client.
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Root-level management

Most modern containers, including custom Docker-based nodes, provide full administrative access over SSH. Legacy certified stacks may expose a controlled set of privileged commands instead.

After opening a terminal, you normally start in the server home directory. Use the cd command to move through the file system.

cd directoryOpen a child directory or a path relative to the current location.
cd ..Move one level up.
cd ~Return to the current user’s home directory.
cd /Move directly to the container root directory.
cd /path/to/directory cd .. cd ~ cd /

For a visual overview of directories and configuration files, you can also use the built-in File Manager through the node’s Config action.

Container file manager
Use the File Manager when a graphical view of the file tree is more convenient.

Manage Files and Directories

Common shell commands can be used to create, inspect, copy, move and remove files and folders.

touchCreate a new empty file.
mkdirCreate a new directory.
lsList files and folders in the current directory.
catDisplay or combine text-file content.
cpCopy files or directories.
locateFind a file or directory by name.
mvMove or rename files and directories.
pwdShow the full path of the current directory.
rmRemove a selected file or directory.
touch example.txt mkdir project ls pwd

View Server System Information

Check the current container state

Use w to view a quick summary of the current system state, including uptime, active users and load averages.

w

Review memory information

Linux memory statistics are available through /proc/meminfo.

cat /proc/meminfo

This file provides values such as total memory, free memory and cache usage.

View kernel and system details

uname -a

The output includes information about the kernel, hostname, processor architecture and operating system.

Manage Running Processes

Use standard Linux process-management tools to inspect and terminate running processes.

topDisplays running processes and resource usage in real time.
psShows currently active processes for the user or selected process scope.
kill PIDStops a process by its process identifier.
top ps kill 1234
i

Stop top

Press Ctrl + C to exit the live process view and return to the normal terminal prompt.

Download and Extract Application Archives

Files can be downloaded directly to the container from an external URL and extracted without using the local computer.

Download a file

wget https://example.com/application.zip

Extract an archive

unzip application.zip

The extracted content is placed in the current working directory or in a folder created by the archive structure.

Configure Custom Environment Variables

Default shell variables can be reviewed from the user profile. Custom variables should be added to the shell startup file used for interactive Bash sessions.

cat .bash_profile

To create custom variables, edit or create the .bashrc file and add entries in the following format:

export VAR_NAME=VAR_VALUE

The new values are loaded automatically in new Bash sessions. To apply them immediately, start a new shell session or reload the configuration.

bash echo ${VAR_NAME}

Certified Container Management Specifics

The platform can use both Docker-based containers and certified software-stack templates. Their SSH privilege model may differ.

Docker-based containersUsually provide full root access so administrators can manage the container directly.
Certified stack templatesMay use a standard server account with a curated set of privileged commands for service and platform management.

Common privileged operations on certified stacks can include service management, firewall control and name-service cache administration.

sudo sbin/service SERVICE_NAME start sudo sbin/service SERVICE_NAME stop sudo sbin/service SERVICE_NAME restart sudo sbin/service SERVICE_NAME status sudo usr/bin/jem firewall fwstart sudo usr/bin/jem firewall fwstop sudo usr/bin/jem nscd sudo sbin/service rpcbind.service
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Supported service names vary by stack

Available service names depend on the selected server template and may include application servers, web servers, databases, caching services and related system components.

Expected Result

After connecting through Web SSH or the SSH gateway, administrators can browse the container file system, manage files and processes, inspect system information, download application packages and configure runtime variables directly from the command line.

Important Notes

  • Use Web SSH for fast browser-based access and the SSH gateway when working from a local client.
  • Protect private SSH keys and limit access to trusted administrators.
  • Use file and process commands carefully when working with production containers.
  • Check service-specific documentation before changing system configuration.
  • Custom Docker containers normally provide broader root access than legacy certified stacks.
  • Use the built-in File Manager when a graphical view is more convenient than terminal navigation.

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