What is SSH

This article details an overview of SSH, what it is, and the different levels of SSH access, as well as the responsibilities of the customer who wishes to use SSH with root access.

What is SSH

• SSH (Secure Shell) is a method of administering your hosting account through the Linux command-line interface
• While all of our hosting accounts can be managed through the cPanel or an FTP client, more advanced users prefer SSH
• SSH can be viewed as a secure replacement for FTP
• With SSH, files can be created, edited, copied, and moved live on the server
• This eliminates the need to make modifications locally and then move them to the server via FTP

Who can use SSH

1. Standard SSH Access: The standard level of SSH is the most commonly requested 
   • Standard SSH Access is available on all hosting plans
   • This allows remote access to an account and site files
   • This does restrict access from making changes to PHP, Apache, MySQL, and any other system-installed software
2. Root Access: Root access is the highest level of SSH access on a server
   • Root access is available on VPS and Dedicated hosting plans
   • Root on a Linux system is the equivalent of full administrator rights on a Windows machine
   • With this level of access, it's required to comply with our Root Access Agreement, summarized below
     • V-dedicated and Dedicated server customers can opt for root access to their server(s), but there are a few terms that must be agreed to before we can proceed with root access setup
       • The customer understands and accepts that InMotion Hosting can only provide limited technical support for software-related issues
         • The root user has full access to the server, so InMotion Hosting may not be aware of certain changes that are made
         • Any damage caused by the root user that requires in-depth troubleshooting by InMotion Hosting does result in administrative fees.
         • With this level of access, the customer has full access to install/remove/edit system-level software such as PHP, MySQL, and Apache
         • We place no limits on what the customer is able to do to the server
         • Note that the greater the modifications made, the less support we are able to provide
       • Root access requires dedicated nameservers
         • Customers are able to host their own through InMotion Hosting (contained on their server), or through a third-party DNS host
         • If the customer decides to use a third-party, please note that InMotion Hosting cannot provide technical support or guarantees for their services
         • If the customer decides to host their nameservers through InMotion Hosting, they must be set up with the customer’s registrar once InMotion Hosting issues the name servers and respective IP addresses
         • This step is ONLY necessary in the event Root access is requested
         • The standard level of SSH does not require this and the customer can continue to use the InMotion Hosting nameservers as they would with any other account
       • If the customer changes the root password, they MUST notify InMotion Hosting immediately
         • Failure to do so can result in root access being rescinded