Run a script in a remote machine via ssh

SSH server

# Generate keys to access the SSH server
ssh-keygen -m "PEM" -f "./ubuntu/ubuntu-key"

FROM ubuntu:latest
RUN apt update && apt install -y "openssh-server" "sudo"
RUN useradd -rm -d "/home/ubuntu" -s "/bin/bash" -g "root" -G "sudo" -u "1000" "ubuntu"
RUN echo "ubuntu:123" | chpasswd
RUN mkdir -p "/home/ubuntu/.ssh" && chmod "700" "/home/ubuntu/.ssh"
COPY "ubuntu-key.pub" "/home/ubuntu/.ssh/authorized_keys"
RUN chown "ubuntu:root" -R "/home/ubuntu/.ssh" && chmod "600" "/home/ubuntu/.ssh/authorized_keys"
RUN service ssh start
CMD /usr/sbin/sshd -D
EXPOSE 22

version: "3"
services:
  jenkins:
    container_name: jenkins
    image: jenkins/jenkins
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - "$HOME/jenkins_home:/var/jenkins_home"
    networks:
      - net
  ubuntu:
    image: ubuntu-ssh
    build:
      context: .
    ports:
      - "22:22"
networks:
  net: {}

• Test connection (Jenkins -> Ubuntu)

# Copy the ssh key to jenkins
docker container cp "./ubuntu/ubuntu-key" "jenkins:/tmp/ubuntu-key"
ssh "ubuntu@remote-host" # Access via SSH (with password)
ssh "ubuntu@remote-host" -i "/tmp/ubuntu-key"  # Access via SSH (with ssh key)

SSH Plugin

• Need to install the jenkins plugin SSH
• Dashboard / Manage Jenkins Manage Plugins
• Search for SSH: This plugin executes shell commands remotely using SSH protocol.
• Install and restart jenkins (or install without restart and then restart manually)
• After that, it will appear under the Installed tab

Configure credentials in Jenkins

• Dashboard / Manage Jenkins / Manage Credentials
• Jenkins Scope / Global credentials (unrestricted) / Add Credential
• Enter SSH username with private key
• Username: remote host
• Private key: ------BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY------ ...

Test SSH connection in Jenkins

• Dashboard / Manage Jenkins / Configure System / SSH remote hosts
• Hostname: remote-host
• Port: 22
• Creatials: (previously created)
• Check connection!

Run jobs on remote host

• Dashboard / New Item / Freestyle project
• Build / Execute shell script on remote host using ssh
• The script will be executed in the host server via SSH