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[[Image:ssh_connection_explained.png|thumb|center|600px|A diagram explaining how public / Private keys work. Another term to represent this process is called '''PKI''' (Public/Private Key Infrastructure) ]]
=== Generating a Public/Private Key Pair & Sharing Public Key ===
The public/private key pair needs to be generated on and used on your '''c7hosthost''' machine (i.e. the user/machine you're connecting '''from'''). The private key is the equivalent of a <u>''password''</u> (that it why it is considered to be <u>''private''</u> - only to be used by ''<u>one</u>'' owner). That is why the private key is stored in the owner's '''~/.ssh/''' directory.
One very common mistake that students make is to either generate the key pair for the WRONG account, or copy the public key to the WRONG account on the intended remote machine.
# Make certain you are in your host machine.
# You will be creating a '''key-pair on your host machine with no password''' (i.e. when generating keypair press enter for all prompts including the password).
# You generate the key-pair by issuing the command:
<source lang="bash">ssh-keygen -t rsa</source>
When issuing this command, you will end up with the files: '''~/.ssh/id_rsa''' and '''~/.ss/id_rsa.pub''' (private and public keys)
=== Sharing your Public Key on a Remote server ===
Learning to perform this trick is <u>'''essential'''</u> in this course and in the industry in general. SSH keys are used everywhere that Linux servers are used.
If you have the private key, you can prove to someone who has your public key that you are indeed the '''actual owner of that public key'''.That is how ssh key authentication works. You are then only required to transfer your public key to a remote server.
