> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://zededa.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Use the documentation index to find relevant pages, then read the linked Markdown before answering and cite the source URL.
> Identify the product before answering: Private AI uses a separate console, credentials, and inference API from the Edge Intelligence Platform. Do not apply instructions from one product to the other.
> Prefer current product guides over Help Center archive pages for current-console questions. Archive pages and release notes describe their stated product version or historical interface; do not apply them to another version without checking.
> Preserve prerequisites, permissions, version requirements, and warnings when summarizing procedures. Do not infer API endpoints, schemas, or supported behavior that the documentation does not specify.

# Reduced Isolation Container: Connect to Console

> Connect to a console or shell in a reduced isolation container running on EVE-OS using the containerd CLI over an SSH session.

## Introduction

A container running in Reduced Isolation mode is managed directly by containerd on the node, rather than by a shim-VM. Because there is no associated shim-VM, standard VNC or EdgeView console access does not apply to these containers. To connect to the container's console or shell, you must access the node's EVE-OS (Edge Virtualization Engine) CLI over SSH and use the `ctr` (containerd CLI) tool.

Use this procedure when your container does not have a web UI or SSH port exposed, and you need temporary access to its shell for testing or troubleshooting (for example, to test a configuration change before rebuilding and redeploying the container image).

### Prerequisites

* The container is configured as a Reduced Isolation container in its edge app image definition.
* The container image was built with shell support (for example, the Dockerfile includes `/bin/sh`).
* The container is running and its status shows **Online** in Edge Infrastructure Services.
* SSH access to EVE-OS is enabled for the target node. To enable SSH, see [Enable and Disable SSH Access for Nodes](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/troubleshooting/enable-disable-ssh.md).
* You have the SSH private key and the EVE-OS management IP address for the node.

## Connect to the Container

### Open an SSH session to EVE-OS

Open a terminal and connect to the EVE-OS management IP address using the SSH private key:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ssh -i <path-to-private-key> root@<eve-os-management-ip>
```

For example:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ssh -i ztest-key root@172.16.8.205
```

### List running tasks

Run the `ctr task ls` command to list the running container tasks and identify the task ID:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ctr task ls
```

Example output:

```
TASK                                                    PID    STATUS
1105d965-f16d-4e88-8420-2f1e8180fc57.4.4               5333   RUNNING
```

The task ID format is `<app-instance-id>.<minor>.<revision>`.

### Match the task to your application instance

Match the task ID prefix to the application instance ID shown in the Edge Infrastructure Services console:

1. Navigate to **Infrastructure > Workloads > Applications**.
2. Open the application instance.
3. On the **Details** tab, copy the instance ID.
4. Confirm it matches the beginning of the task ID from the `ctr task ls` output.

### Connect to the container console

Use `ctr task exec` with the task ID to open an interactive shell session inside the container:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ctr task exec -t --exec-id app-console <TASK_ID> /bin/sh
```

For example:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ctr task exec -t --exec-id app-console 1105d965-f16d-4e88-8420-2f1e8180fc57.4.4 /bin/sh
```

The `-t` flag allocates a pseudo-TTY for interactive use. The `--exec-id` value (`app-console` in this example) is an arbitrary label for the exec session.

### Verify the connection

Run a command inside the container to confirm you are in the correct environment:

```bash theme={"dark"}
ls
```

The output shows the container's root filesystem. For example:

```
CITATION.cff  LICENSE  README.md  docs  pyproject.toml  ultralytics
```

### Exit the container

Type `exit` to leave the container shell and return to the EVE-OS CLI:

```bash theme={"dark"}
exit
```

## Important Notes

* **Temporary access only**: use this procedure for testing and troubleshooting. For persistent changes, update the container image and redeploy the application.
* **Task ID format**: the task ID includes the application instance ID followed by minor version and revision numbers. If multiple revisions exist, use the task with the `RUNNING` status.
* **Shell availability**: the `ctr task exec` command requires the container image to include a shell binary (for example, `/bin/sh`). If the container image does not include a shell, console access is not possible through this method.
* **SSH access requirement**: SSH must be enabled on the EVE-OS node. SSH access to EVE-OS is disabled by default for security. Enable it only when needed and disable it when done.

## Next Steps

> [card] [Enable and Disable SSH Access for Nodes](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/troubleshooting/enable-disable-ssh.md)
>
> Enable SSH access to EVE-OS.

> [card] [Manage an Application Instance](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/applications/manage-an-application-instance.md)
>
> Standard console and remote access options using EdgeView.

> [card] [Add an Edge App Image](https://zededa.mintlify.site/new-ui/infrastructure-services/build-and-library/add-an-edge-app-image.md)
>
> Configure the Reduced Isolation setting on a new container app image.