# Associate an SSH Key with a VM

To associate an SSH key with a Linux storage image of a VM, follow these steps:

1\. In the **DCD**, go to **Virtual Data Centers** and select your VDC.

2\. If a VM does not exist, drag a VM element (a Dedicated Core server, a vCPU Server, or a Cube) from the palette onto the workspace based on your needs. Otherwise, you can choose to add storage to an existing VM.

3\. Click **+** on the VM to attach storage.

4\. Based on the need, associate an HDD or an SSD storage by choosing one of these options: **Create and attach HDD Storage** or **Create and attach SSD Storage**.

![Attach SSH keys with a VM's Linux image](/files/De6Y7rxTk2AJeay1ugkZ)

5\. In **Create New Attached Storage**, configure the storage and select **Linux Images** for the **Image** setting.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** The option to associate SSH keys with the VM is only available when selecting a public Linux image.
{% endhint %}

![Associate an image](/files/kXiH2qPsWGQysRJFQWK3)

6\. For the **SSH Keys** setting, select from the list of SSH keys stored in the SSH Key Manager.

![Associate a key type](/files/ieGCAS2PGyW4QUhP5ioy)

7\. Click **Create HDD Storage** or **Create SSD Storage**. The option differs based on the storage type you have chosen.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Result:** The selected SSH key is associated with your VM.
{% endhint %}


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