shopdb-flask/.claude/setup/setup-vm-ssh.md

Set Up SSH Access to VM for Claude Code

Guide to configure SSH MCP so Claude can interact with the Windows 11 test VM.

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Step 1: Configure VM (Run as Administrator in VM)

# Install OpenSSH Server
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0

# Start SSH service
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'

# Allow SSH through firewall
New-NetFirewallRule -Name sshd -DisplayName 'OpenSSH Server (sshd)' -Enabled True -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -Action Allow -LocalPort 22

# Verify SSH is listening
netstat -ano | findstr :22
# Should show: TCP 0.0.0.0:22 ... LISTENING

# Set password for local user (replace "ShopFloor" with actual username)
net user ShopFloor YourPassword123

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Step 2: Test SSH from Host

# From host PC
ssh ShopFloor@192.168.100.10

# Should connect and show Windows command prompt
# If works, type 'exit' to disconnect

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Step 3: Install SSH MCP Server

# On host PC
npm install -g ssh-mcp

# Verify installation
npm list -g ssh-mcp

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Step 4: Add to Claude Code Config

Edit .claude/mcp-servers.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gortex": {
      "command": "C:\\Users\\270015376\\Documents\\gortex.exe",
      "args": ["mcp"],
      "cwd": "C:\\Users\\270015376\\Documents\\github\\flask-shopdb"
    },
    "mysql": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@benborla29/mcp-server-mysql", "mysql://shopdb:shopdb-dev-password@127.0.0.1:3306/shopdb_flask"]
    },
    "browser": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@agent-infra/mcp-server-browser"]
    },
    "vm": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ssh-mcp",
        "--host", "192.168.100.10",
        "--user", "ShopFloor",
        "--password", "YourPassword123"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Note: Replace "ShopFloor" and "YourPassword123" with actual VM credentials.

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Step 5: Restart Claude Code

Close and reopen Claude Code completely to load the new MCP server.

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Step 6: Verify SSH MCP Works

In Claude Code conversation:

You: "Run 'hostname' on the VM"

Claude: [Calls mcp__vm__exec]
Claude: "VM hostname: DESKTOP-ABC123"

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What Claude Can Do with SSH MCP:

Execute Commands:

"Check if agent service is running on VM"
"Get the VM's IP configuration"
"List running processes on VM"
"Read agent logs from VM"

File Operations:

"Copy shopdbagent.exe to VM at C:\Temp"
"Read the agent config file from VM"
"Upload the latest build to VM"
"Download agent logs from VM"

Agent Testing:

"Install the agent on VM"
"Start/stop the agent service"
"Check if tray is running"
"Tail the agent log file"
"Verify agent is connecting to http://192.168.100.1:5000"

Integration Testing:

"Create a fleet alert and verify it appears on VM"
"Submit operator report from VM and check database"
"Test endpoint heartbeat from VM"
"Run script on VM and check results in database"

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Security Notes

Password in Config:

• Config file contains plain-text password
• Only for test VM on internal network
• VM has no internet access (internal network only)
• Not a production concern

Better: Use SSH Key (Optional)

Generate SSH key:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -f ~/.ssh/vm_key

Copy public key to VM:

# In VM, create .ssh directory
mkdir C:\Users\ShopFloor\.ssh

# Copy contents of ~/.ssh/vm_key.pub to:
# C:\Users\ShopFloor\.ssh\authorized_keys

Update .mcp.json:

"vm": {
  "command": "npx",
  "args": [
    "-y",
    "ssh-mcp",
    "--host", "192.168.100.10",
    "--user", "ShopFloor",
    "--key", "C:\\Users\\270015376\\.ssh\\vm_key"
  ]
}

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Troubleshooting

SSH Connection Refused:

# Check SSH service on VM
ssh ShopFloor@192.168.100.10
# If fails, verify service running:
# In VM: Get-Service sshd

Authentication Failed:

# Verify password
# In VM: net user ShopFloor NewPassword123

Port 22 Blocked:

# In VM, check firewall rule exists
Get-NetFirewallRule -Name sshd

MCP Server Not Loading:

# Verify ssh-mcp installed
npm list -g ssh-mcp

# Test manually
npx -y ssh-mcp --host 192.168.100.10 --user ShopFloor --password Test123

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Example Test Workflow

Full Agent Deployment Test:

You: "Deploy and test the agent on the VM"

Claude:
1. [Builds agent] dotnet publish...
2. [SSH: Upload] Copying shopdbagent.exe to VM...
3. [SSH: Install] Running installer on VM...
4. [SSH: Configure] Setting API endpoint to http://192.168.100.1:5000...
5. [SSH: Start] Starting ShopDBEndpointAgent service...
6. [SSH: Verify] Checking service status... Running
7. [SSH: Logs] Reading agent.log... "Connected to API successfully"
8. [MySQL: Create alert] Inserting test fleet alert...
9. [Wait 5s]
10. [SSH: Check tray] Get-Process shopdb-endpoint-tray... Running
11. [SSH: Screenshot] Capturing tray notification...
12. [X] Complete! Agent installed, connected, and received fleet alert.

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VM Requirements Summary:

Requirement	Status	Command to Check
OpenSSH Server installed	[WAIT]	Get-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server*
SSH service running	[WAIT]	Get-Service sshd
Port 22 open in firewall	[WAIT]	Get-NetFirewallRule -Name sshd
User has password set	[WAIT]	net user ShopFloor
Network connectivity	[X]	arp -a shows 192.168.100.10
Internal network configured	[X]	VM has 192.168.100.10

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Next Steps:

1. Run Step 1 commands in VM (as Administrator)
2. Test SSH connection from host (Step 2)
3. Install ssh-mcp on host (Step 3)
4. Update .claude/mcp-servers.json (Step 4)
5. Restart Claude Code (Step 5)
6. Test with simple command (Step 6)

Ready to proceed?