VMware Arena

Putty Timeout session Disconnect Issue on ESX

When Connecting ESX server via SSH using Putty loses its connection after a specific duration of inactivity with the below error.

Putty Fatal Error “Server sent disconnect message type 2 (SSH_DISCONNECT_PROTOCL_ERROR):”Tmeout,Your session not responding.”

Most of the time, activities performed from the ESX ssh session is time consuming ex. ESX manual patching using esxupdate utility.To resolve this timeout issue, PuTTY software has a setting under connection options allows you to keep your SSH connection alive by sending  NULL packets to the server at a specific interval. This may be risky options at some time if you moved away from your system by leaving the SSH session open. The intruder may access your system and issue shutdown to your server with your credentials.

Procedure to configure Keep Alive

1.Double click and Open the putty software

2. Type your ESX server IP address or hostname under session options

3. Click on Connection options on the left hand side bar and enter 10 for Set for the seconds between keepalives and  click on Open to connect to the ESX server via SSH.

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After this, we will be free from the annoying disconnect session error.If you are looking for the steps to enable SSH on ESXi 4.0, Please refer my Blog post
Thanks For Reading !!!!
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