Let’s say you want to ssh using docker, and also you want to be able to access all the settings you have with our old ssh, here is how you do it !

Dockerfile:

FROM debian:jessie

RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends openssh-client

VOLUME ["/ssh"]

COPY entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/
ENTRYPOINT ["entrypoint.sh"]

entrypoint.sh:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# install ssh keys (/ssh -> ~/.ssh)
cp -R /ssh /root/.ssh
chmod -R 500 /root/.ssh

# entrypoint
# redirects all arguments to the ssh command
# 'exec' will replace the process (might be useful for redirecting SIGTERM)
exec ssh $@

If we mount our .ssh directory to the /ssh of the container, it will automatically copy (with the right permission) its contents to its /root/.ssh. Thus, we will be able to use all ssh as if it were the one on our host machine.

Build the Dockerfile:

docker build -t ssh .

Set alias for your cmd.exe:

alias ssh-docker=docker run --rm -it -v %HOME%\.ssh:/ssh:ro ssh $*

Note: $* at the end of alias is to accept arguments.

Enjoy:

ssh-docker test@host