ssh clarification needed

[Bill Davidsen]

Todd Zullinger wrote:
> Kevin Kofler wrote:
>> * authentication keys - those are what you use to log in instead of
>> a password. They're one per user and machine unless you explicitly
>> copy the private key to a different machine or user account
>> (something you normally shouldn't do
> 
> I presume you mean only the latter part (copying the private key to
> another user account) is something that you shouldn't do?
> 
There is no "the" private key, you can create as many public/private pairs as 
you find useful. You can also have any number of keys in authorized keys, each 
of which is associated with a single command rather than a shell. This allows 
many systems which have copies of a given private key to execute a single 
command on a remote system over an encrypted link. The uses for this are limited 
only by your imagination.

> I share the same ssh private key between my desktop server and my
> laptop (both as the same user).  I don't see much reason to have two
> separate keys for that.
> 
Maybe. On the other hand, you could have a unique key for each, and use a shared 
private key via the "-i" option to perform normal operations, while preserving 
the ability to have distinct keys for connection to some other systems.

It depends on what you find useful.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot