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Hosts, groups and jump hosts

A host is a server you saved: its address, its user and how it signs in. A server on a private network is reached through a jump host, as with ssh -J.

Updated

On this page
  1. How a jump host works
  2. Sort hosts into groups
  3. Go through a jump host
  4. Three ways to sign in
  5. More on hosts
  6. Good to know

How a jump host works

GoTerm signs in to the jump host first, asks it for a connection to the private server, and signs in there too. The private server’s name is looked up inside its own network.

PRIVATE NETWORKSSHSSHGoTermthe gatewaybastiona public addressdb-0110.0.0.12web-0110.0.0.21k8s-ctl10.0.0.30
GoTerm connects to the bastion over SSH, then through it to three servers on the private network behind it.
  • One hop: a jump host can’t go through another.
  • Each signs in with its own saved password or key, and GoTerm shows neither.
  • Hosts behind a jump host work in the terminal and in Files.

Sort hosts into groups

  1. On Hosts, open the arrow beside New host and choose New group.
  2. Name it, and pick its space: yours, or a team’s.
  3. Edit a host and pick the group under Group.
The Hosts page: groups by team on the left, and a customer’s hosts in two groups, each one marked via bastion.Open the full-size picture

Go through a jump host

  1. Save the jump host first, as a host with a saved password or key.
  2. Open the private server’s host with Edit, or choose New host.
  3. Give its address as the jump host reaches it, such as 10.0.0.12.
  4. Under Connect through, pick the jump host, then choose Save.

Tip: On the jump host’s menu, Use as jump host starts a new host that goes through it.

The New host form with the bastion picked under Connect through, and the hint that GoTerm signs in there first, then hops on.Open the full-size picture

Three ways to sign in

Each host has one, under Auth method.

  • Password

    Saved in GoTerm
    Yes
    Typed each time
    No
    Team members use it
    Yes

  • Private key

    Saved in GoTerm
    Yes
    Typed each time
    No
    Team members use it
    Yes

  • Ask every time

    Saved in GoTerm
    No
    Typed each time
    Yes
    Team members use it
    No
Auth methodSaved in GoTermTyped each timeTeam members use it
PasswordYesNoYes
Private keyYesNoYes
Ask every timeNoYesNo

More on hosts

  • Docker containersOpen a shell inside any running container on a host you already reach. No extra ports.
  • Windows desktops over RDPOpen a Windows server’s desktop in a tab, right next to your SSH sessions.

Good to know

  • A jump host and the hosts behind it are in one space: all yours, or all one team’s.
  • A host behind a jump host uses SSH’s port 22.
  • A jump host that others go through can’t be deleted until you take it off them.
  • Direct mode in the desktop app dials from your computer, so it can’t go through a jump host.
  • Give a host its own Terminal theme, a red one for production say, so you always know where you are.

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