What is a necessary step for enabling SSH connectivity to a compute instance in a VCN?

To establish SSH connectivity to a compute instance in a Virtual Cloud Network (VCN), setting up a route to the internet gateway in the default route table is essential. This route facilitates outbound traffic from the instance to the internet, allowing SSH requests to reach the instance smoothly.

When you want to connect to a compute instance via SSH, responses and associated traffic must return to the instance through the proper routing. The internet gateway acts as a gateway for sending and receiving traffic from the internet, which is critical for SSH connections that rely on this communication pathway. Without the correct routing in place that directs traffic through the internet gateway, SSH connectivity will not function properly.

While configuring a public IP address is typically important for external accessibility, the specific requirement to route traffic correctly is what directly enables SSH connectivity. Thus, ensuring there is a route to the internet gateway is the foundational step to allow external devices to establish that connection across the internet.