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Key Pair

A key pair is a public/private key combination used for SSH access and secure data encryption. This document explains how to create, import, and delete key pairs using OpenStack.

Creating a Key Pair

Key pairs are used to securely access OpenStack instances. If you don’t already have a public key, you can generate one directly in OpenStack. If you already have a key pair, you can import your existing public key.

Generate and Download a New Key Pair

  • In the left-hand menu, go to Compute → Key Pairs, then click Create Key Pair.
create_key_pair
  • Enter a Key Pair Name, then click Create.
  • A private key file (.pem) will be downloaded automatically and the key pair will be registered.

⚠️ The private key cannot be downloaded again from OpenStack. Please store it in a secure location.

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Import an Existing Public Key

If you already have a key pair, you can import your public key into OpenStack.

  • Go to Compute → Key Pairs, then click Create Key Pair.
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  • In the Import Key Pair dialog, choose Import from local file.
    • Windows: C:\Users\<user name>\.ssh\id_rsa.pub
    • MacOS: ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
      • Note: On macOS, the .ssh directory is hidden by default.
      • Press Shift + Command + . to reveal hidden files in Finder.
  • Click Import to register the key.
complete_key_pair

Deleting a Key Pair

If a key pair is no longer needed, it can be safely removed.

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  • Navigate to Compute → Key Pairs.
  • Select the key pair to delete, then click Delete and confirm the action.

⚠️ Once a key pair is deleted, you will not be able to access any instances using that key. Please ensure alternative access is configured before deletion.