ONTAP messages log: Host keys on SSH server are NULL ...

WAFLHERDER — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:18:42 GMT

Hi All,

What keys are being referred to when ONTAP (8.2.5) logs this message?

"sshd.hostKeys.null:error]: Host keys on SSH server are NULL."

What action might have triggered this? Someone attempting to connect to the Filer via sftp?

Cheers,

Robb.

Re: ONTAP messages log: Host keys on SSH server are NULL ...

WAFLHERDER — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:14:48 GMT

OK, I found the answer, well an answer.

Searching in the syslog translator application itself didn't show me anything, but going via a Knowledge Base entry did, see the link in this article: https://kb.netapp.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1030291

Apparently : This message occurs when the host keys on Secure Shell(SSH) server is NULL due to some corruption or loading of host keys has failed.

Corrective Action is: Disable ssh and then enable ssh as follows: options ssh.enable off options ssh.enable on

Unfortunately it's not really that clear exactly which file(s) are corrupted/missing. I can ssh into the Filer apparently without issue.

Strange ...