GitHub Enterprise includes a web-based Management Console as well as administrative shell access over SSH.

Many of the basic procedures described in this guide require using these interfaces. This section describes how to access the Management Console and administrative shell and some of the activities that may be performed there.

Web-based management console

Use the Management Console to set up and configure your GitHub Enterprise instance, as well as schedule maintenance windows and manage licenses.

Configuring time synchronization

GitHub Enterprise automatically synchronizes its clock by connecting to NTP servers. You can set the NTP servers that are used to synchronize the clock, or you can use the default NTP servers.

Administrative shell (SSH) access

SSH access allows you to run the GitHub Enterprise command line utilities and is useful for troubleshooting, running backups with the GitHub Enterprise Backup Utilities, and configuring replication.

Maintenance mode

Some standard maintenance procedures, such as upgrading your GitHub Enterprise instance or restoring backups, require that the GitHub Enterprise instance be taken offline for normal use, or "put into maintenance mode".