Java has it's own version of GSSAPI based kerberos libraries built in. This article explains how to set up an server that uses them to authenticated SSHD. http://alblue.bandlem.com/2011/11/sshd-server-in-java-with-kerberos.html It might give a more java-centric view of the process of setting up server keytabs. - Booker C. Bense