How to Add Remote Locations
Overview
AI Workbench has three ways to add a remote location: Manual, NVIDIA Sync, and NVIDIA Brev.
Each handles SSH configuration and key management differently. You should choose the method based on your setup and what you are trying to do.
Manual: Use for an existing machine to which you already have key-based SSH access.
Requires an existing remote machine with an existing SSH key and connection details. You install AI Workbench on the remote, and then enter the details in the Desktop App or CLI. AI Workbench handles the connection from there.
NVIDIA Sync: Use for an existing machine to which you have password-based SSH access.
Requires an existing remote machine with an existing password and connection details. You enter the password and details in NVIDIA Sync. Then you connect to the device with Sync and launch AI Workbench through Sync. NVIDIA Sync installs AI Workbench on the remote and adds it to your Desktop App.
NVIDIA Brev: Use when you want to use a cloud instance through the Brev platform.
Requires an NVIDIA Brev account and configuring the Brev integration in the Desktop App. The Brev CLI creates and manages the SSH key and details. You launch a cloud instance on Brev and then use the Brev feature in the Desktop App. The Desktop App uses the Brev SSH information and bootstraps AI Workbench on the remote.
Key Concepts
Remote Location:
A machine with AI Workbench installed that you manage through your local Desktop App or CLI. Connected over SSH.
SSH Config Files:
AI Workbench maintains SSH config entries so it can connect to remote locations.
On Windows, entries are written to both the Windows-side config (C:\Users\<username>\.ssh\config) and the WSL distro config (~/.ssh/config in the NVIDIA-Workbench distro).
SSH Key Pair:
Public and private key files used for passwordless authentication. The manual path uses your own keys. Sync generates its own key. Brev manages keys automatically.
Password-Protected SSH Keys:
SSH keys encrypted with a passphrase. On Windows, password-protected keys require the Windows OpenSSH Authentication Agent service. See Locations and SSH for details.
SSH Agent:
A background service that holds decrypted private keys in memory so you do not enter a passphrase each time.