How to Configure SFTP on IBM i (with Public Key or Password)

Following a recent discussion on IBM TechXchange, I’d like to share a very useful guide by Anna Niederschulte about configuring SFTP on IBM i.

🔗 SFTP on IBM i utilizing SSH and Public Key Authentication – IBM i 7.4 & 7.5

The guide walks you through:

• setting up SFTP access using a password,
• enabling SSH Public Key authentication, a much more secure and automation-friendly method.

Public Key authentication is especially valuable when dealing with automated file transfers (nightly batch jobs, external system integrations, EDI flows, etc.), since it avoids storing passwords in plain text.

👉 The guide also includes a reference to a detailed document specifically covering the Public Key configuration steps.

📌 For further reading, here are some related posts from blog.faq400.com:

• IBM i – Updating Digital Certificates and DCM
• Secure FTP (SFTP) and IBM i – What You Should Know
• Open Source and SSH on IBM i: First Configurations

A big thank you to Anna for sharing this resource—it’s a great reference for anyone working daily with IBM i security and integration.