diff --git a/test/nvmf/target/nvmf_vhost.sh b/test/nvmf/target/nvmf_vhost.sh
index 64f8755fb..8dac87358 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/target/nvmf_vhost.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/target/nvmf_vhost.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ vm_wait_for_boot 300 3
 
 # Run the fio workload remotely
 vm_scp 3 $testdir/nvmf_vhost_fio.job 127.0.0.1:/root/nvmf_vhost_fio.job
-vm_ssh 3 "fio /root/nvmf_vhost_fio.job"
+vm_exec 3 "fio /root/nvmf_vhost_fio.job"
 vm_shutdown_all
 
 trap - SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
diff --git a/test/vhost/common.sh b/test/vhost/common.sh
index a80626a1a..b0aadf7cf 100644
--- a/test/vhost/common.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/common.sh
@@ -10,14 +10,6 @@ if [ ! -d $QEMU_PREFIX ]; then
 fi
 echo "Using qemu folder $QEMU_PREFIX"
 
-# SSH key file
-: ${SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE="$(readlink -e $HOME/.ssh/spdk_vhost_id_rsa)"}
-if [[ ! -r "$SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE" ]]; then
-	error "Could not find SSH key file $SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE"
-	exit 1
-fi
-echo "Using SSH key file $SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE"
-
 VM_BASE_DIR="$TEST_DIR/vms"
 
 mkdir -p $TEST_DIR
@@ -312,42 +304,22 @@ function vm_fio_socket()
 	cat $vm_dir/fio_socket
 }
 
-function vm_create_ssh_config()
-{
-	local ssh_config="$VM_BASE_DIR/ssh_config"
-	if [[ ! -f $ssh_config ]]; then
-		(
-		echo "Host *"
-		echo "  ControlPersist=10m"
-		echo "  ConnectTimeout=1"
-		echo "  Compression=no"
-		echo "  ControlMaster=auto"
-		echo "  UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null"
-		echo "  StrictHostKeyChecking=no"
-		echo "  User root"
-		echo "  ControlPath=/tmp/%r@%h:%p.ssh"
-		echo ""
-		) > $ssh_config
-		# Control path created at /tmp because of live migration test case 3.
-		# In case of using sshfs share for the test - control path cannot be
-		# on share because remote server will fail on ssh commands.
-	fi
-}
-
-# Execute ssh command on given VM
+# Execute command on given VM
 # param $1 virtual machine number
 #
-function vm_ssh()
+function vm_exec()
 {
 	vm_num_is_valid $1 || return 1
-	vm_create_ssh_config
-	local ssh_config="$VM_BASE_DIR/ssh_config"
-
-	local ssh_cmd="ssh -i $SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE -F $ssh_config \
-		-p $(vm_ssh_socket $1) $VM_SSH_OPTIONS 127.0.0.1"
 
+	local vm_num="$1"
 	shift
-	$ssh_cmd "$@"
+
+	sshpass -p root ssh \
+		-o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
+		-o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+		-o User=root \
+		-p $(vm_ssh_socket $vm_num) $VM_SSH_OPTIONS 127.0.0.1 \
+		"$@"
 }
 
 # Execute scp command on given VM
@@ -356,14 +328,16 @@ function vm_ssh()
 function vm_scp()
 {
 	vm_num_is_valid $1 || return 1
-	vm_create_ssh_config
-	local ssh_config="$VM_BASE_DIR/ssh_config"
-
-	local scp_cmd="scp -i $SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE -F $ssh_config \
-		-P $(vm_ssh_socket $1) "
 
+	local vm_num="$1"
 	shift
-	$scp_cmd "$@"
+
+	sshpass -p root scp \
+		-o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
+		-o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+		-o User=root \
+		-P $(vm_ssh_socket $vm_num) $VM_SSH_OPTIONS \
+		"$@"
 }
 
 
@@ -406,9 +380,9 @@ function vm_os_booted()
 		return 1
 	fi
 
-	if ! VM_SSH_OPTIONS="-o ControlMaster=no" vm_ssh $1 "true" 2>/dev/null; then
+	if ! VM_SSH_OPTIONS="-o ControlMaster=no" vm_exec $1 "true" 2>/dev/null; then
 		# Shutdown existing master. Ignore errors as it might not exist.
-		VM_SSH_OPTIONS="-O exit" vm_ssh $1 "true" 2>/dev/null
+		VM_SSH_OPTIONS="-O exit" vm_exec $1 "true" 2>/dev/null
 		return 1
 	fi
 
@@ -437,7 +411,7 @@ function vm_shutdown()
 	# "fail" due to shutdown
 	notice "Shutting down virtual machine $vm_dir"
 	set +e
-	vm_ssh $1 "nohup sh -c 'shutdown -h -P now'" || true
+	vm_exec $1 "nohup sh -c 'shutdown -h -P now'" || true
 	notice "VM$1 is shutting down - wait a while to complete"
 	set -e
 }
@@ -970,9 +944,9 @@ function vm_wait_for_boot()
 		notice "VM$vm_num ready"
 		#Change Timeout for stopping services to prevent lengthy powerdowns
 		#Check that remote system is not Cygwin in case of Windows VMs
-		local vm_os=$(vm_ssh $vm_num "uname -o")
+		local vm_os=$(vm_exec $vm_num "uname -o")
 		if [[ "$vm_os" != "Cygwin" ]]; then
-			vm_ssh $vm_num "echo 'DefaultTimeoutStopSec=10' >> /etc/systemd/system.conf; systemctl daemon-reexec"
+			vm_exec $vm_num "echo 'DefaultTimeoutStopSec=10' >> /etc/systemd/system.conf; systemctl daemon-reexec"
 		fi
 	done
 
@@ -1002,10 +976,10 @@ function vm_start_fio_server()
 	for vm_num in $@; do
 		notice "Starting fio server on VM$vm_num"
 		if [[ $fio_bin != "" ]]; then
-			cat $fio_bin | vm_ssh $vm_num 'cat > /root/fio; chmod +x /root/fio'
-			vm_ssh $vm_num /root/fio $readonly --eta=never --server --daemonize=/root/fio.pid
+			cat $fio_bin | vm_exec $vm_num 'cat > /root/fio; chmod +x /root/fio'
+			vm_exec $vm_num /root/fio $readonly --eta=never --server --daemonize=/root/fio.pid
 		else
-			vm_ssh $vm_num fio $readonly --eta=never --server --daemonize=/root/fio.pid
+			vm_exec $vm_num fio $readonly --eta=never --server --daemonize=/root/fio.pid
 		fi
 	done
 }
@@ -1022,7 +996,7 @@ function vm_check_scsi_location()
 		fi; \
 	done'
 
-	SCSI_DISK="$(echo "$script" | vm_ssh $1 bash -s)"
+	SCSI_DISK="$(echo "$script" | vm_exec $1 bash -s)"
 
 	if [[ -z "$SCSI_DISK" ]]; then
 		error "no test disk found!"
@@ -1037,14 +1011,14 @@ function vm_reset_scsi_devices()
 {
 	for disk in "${@:2}"; do
 		notice "VM$1 Performing device reset on disk $disk"
-		vm_ssh $1 sg_reset /dev/$disk -vNd
+		vm_exec $1 sg_reset /dev/$disk -vNd
 	done
 }
 
 function vm_check_blk_location()
 {
 	local script='shopt -s nullglob; cd /sys/block; echo vd*'
-	SCSI_DISK="$(echo "$script" | vm_ssh $1 bash -s)"
+	SCSI_DISK="$(echo "$script" | vm_exec $1 bash -s)"
 
 	if [[ -z "$SCSI_DISK" ]]; then
 		error "no blk test disk found!"
@@ -1097,17 +1071,17 @@ function run_fio()
 		local vm_num=${vm%%:*}
 		local vmdisks=${vm#*:}
 
-		sed "s@filename=@filename=$vmdisks@" $job_file | vm_ssh $vm_num "cat > /root/$job_fname"
+		sed "s@filename=@filename=$vmdisks@" $job_file | vm_exec $vm_num "cat > /root/$job_fname"
 		fio_disks+="127.0.0.1:$(vm_fio_socket $vm_num):$vmdisks,"
 
-		vm_ssh $vm_num cat /root/$job_fname
+		vm_exec $vm_num cat /root/$job_fname
 		if ! $run_server_mode; then
 			if [[ ! -z "$fio_bin" ]]; then
-				cat $fio_bin | vm_ssh $vm_num 'cat > /root/fio; chmod +x /root/fio'
+				cat $fio_bin | vm_exec $vm_num 'cat > /root/fio; chmod +x /root/fio'
 			fi
 
 			notice "Running local fio on VM $vm_num"
-			vm_ssh $vm_num "nohup /root/fio /root/$job_fname 1>/root/$job_fname.out 2>/root/$job_fname.out </dev/null & echo \$! > /root/fio.pid"
+			vm_exec $vm_num "nohup /root/fio /root/$job_fname 1>/root/$job_fname.out 2>/root/$job_fname.out </dev/null & echo \$! > /root/fio.pid"
 		fi
 	done
 
diff --git a/test/vhost/fiotest/fio.sh b/test/vhost/fiotest/fio.sh
index 373b99600..0fafeca2c 100755
--- a/test/vhost/fiotest/fio.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/fiotest/fio.sh
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ for vm_num in $used_vms; do
 
 	host_name="VM-$vm_num"
 	notice "Setting up hostname: $host_name"
-	vm_ssh $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
+	vm_exec $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
 	vm_start_fio_server $fio_bin $readonly $vm_num
 
 	if [[ "$test_type" == "spdk_vhost_scsi" ]]; then
diff --git a/test/vhost/hotplug/common.sh b/test/vhost/hotplug/common.sh
index 1f094fb76..6bef109ee 100644
--- a/test/vhost/hotplug/common.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/hotplug/common.sh
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ function vms_prepare() {
 
         host_name="VM-${vm_num}-${!qemu_mask_param}"
         notice "Setting up hostname: $host_name"
-        vm_ssh $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
+        vm_exec $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
         vm_start_fio_server --fio-bin=$fio_bin $readonly $vm_num
     done
 }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ function vms_prepare() {
 function vms_reboot_all() {
     notice "Rebooting all vms "
     for vm_num in $1; do
-        vm_ssh $vm_num "reboot" || true
+        vm_exec $vm_num "reboot" || true
         while vm_os_booted $vm_num; do
              sleep 0.5
         done
diff --git a/test/vhost/integrity/integrity_start.sh b/test/vhost/integrity/integrity_start.sh
index a59f55e20..380c15205 100755
--- a/test/vhost/integrity/integrity_start.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/integrity/integrity_start.sh
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ vm_wait_for_boot 300 0
 
 # Run tests on VM
 vm_scp 0 $testdir/integrity_vm.sh root@127.0.0.1:/root/integrity_vm.sh
-vm_ssh 0 "~/integrity_vm.sh $ctrl_type \"$vm_fs\""
+vm_exec 0 "~/integrity_vm.sh $ctrl_type \"$vm_fs\""
 
 notice "Shutting down virtual machine..."
 vm_shutdown_all
diff --git a/test/vhost/lvol/lvol_test.sh b/test/vhost/lvol/lvol_test.sh
index 161cb3ecc..d5d8d2f02 100755
--- a/test/vhost/lvol/lvol_test.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/lvol/lvol_test.sh
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ for vm_num in $used_vms; do
     qemu_mask_param="VM_${vm_num}_qemu_mask"
 
     host_name="VM-$vm_num-${!qemu_mask_param}"
-    vm_ssh $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
+    vm_exec $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
     vm_start_fio_server $fio_bin $vm_num
 
     if [[ "$ctrl_type" == "spdk_vhost_scsi" ]]; then
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc1.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc1.sh
index cdfb7a311..685c19cd1 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc1.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc1.sh
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function migration_tc1()
 
 	# Check if fio is still running before migration
 	if ! is_fio_running $incoming_vm; then
-		vm_ssh $incoming_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+		vm_exec $incoming_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 		error "FIO is not running before migration: process crashed or finished too early"
 	fi
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ function migration_tc1()
 
 	# Check if fio is still running after migration
 	if ! is_fio_running $target_vm; then
-		vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+		vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 		error "FIO is not running after migration: process crashed or finished too early"
 	fi
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ function migration_tc1()
 	done
 
 	notice "Fio result is:"
-	vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+	vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 
 	notice "Migration DONE"
 
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
index 9c175e23e..930cddf43 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ function migration_tc2()
 
 	# Check if fio is still running before migration
 	if ! is_fio_running $incoming_vm; then
-		vm_ssh $incoming_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+		vm_exec $incoming_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 		error "FIO is not running before migration: process crashed or finished too early"
 	fi
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ function migration_tc2()
 
 	# Check if fio is still running after migration
 	if ! is_fio_running $target_vm; then
-		vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+		vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 		error "FIO is not running after migration: process crashed or finished too early"
 	fi
 
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ function migration_tc2()
 	done
 
 	notice "Fio result is:"
-	vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
+	vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/$(basename ${job_file}).out"
 
 	migration_tc2_cleanup_vhost_config
 	notice "Migration TC2 SUCCESS"
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
index e9be8c66c..d53d02351 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
@@ -27,10 +27,12 @@ fi
 
 function ssh_remote()
 {
-	local ssh_cmd="ssh -i $SPDK_VHOST_SSH_KEY_FILE \
+	local ssh_cmd="sshpass -p root ssh \
 		-o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
-		-o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ControlMaster=auto \
-		root@$1"
+		-o StrictHostKeyChecking=no \
+		-o ControlMaster=auto \
+		-o User=root \
+		$1"
 
 	shift
 	$ssh_cmd "$@"
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3b.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3b.sh
index 68d869301..bfba9a428 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3b.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3b.sh
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ if ! vm_os_booted $target_vm; then
 fi
 
 if ! is_fio_running $target_vm; then
-	vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/migration-tc3.job.out"
+	vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/migration-tc3.job.out"
 	error "FIO is not running on remote server after migration!"
 fi
 
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ while is_fio_running $target_vm; do
 done
 
 notice "FIO result after migration:"
-vm_ssh $target_vm "cat /root/migration-tc3.job.out"
+vm_exec $target_vm "cat /root/migration-tc3.job.out"
 
 host_2_cleanup_vhost
 echo "DONE" > $share_dir/DONE
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration.sh
index 49442b641..6d587809d 100755
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration.sh
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ function is_fio_running()
 	local shell_restore_x="$( [[ "$-" =~ x ]] && echo 'set -x' )"
 	set +x
 
-	if vm_ssh $1 'kill -0 $(cat /root/fio.pid)'; then
+	if vm_exec $1 'kill -0 $(cat /root/fio.pid)'; then
 		local ret=0
 	else
 		local ret=1
diff --git a/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh b/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
index bb2d283dc..1c5694048 100755
--- a/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ fio_disks=""
 for vm_num in $used_vms; do
 	vm_dir=$VM_BASE_DIR/$vm_num
 	host_name="VM-$vm_num"
-	vm_ssh $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
+	vm_exec $vm_num "hostname $host_name"
 	vm_start_fio_server $fio_bin $vm_num
 
 	if [[ "$ctrl_type" == "spdk_vhost_scsi" ]]; then
@@ -338,9 +338,9 @@ for vm_num in $used_vms; do
 
 	if [[ -n "$vm_throttle" ]]; then
 		block=$(printf '%s' $SCSI_DISK)
-		major_minor=$(vm_ssh "$vm_num" "cat /sys/block/$block/dev")
-		vm_ssh "$vm_num" "echo \"$major_minor $vm_throttle\" > /sys/fs/cgroup/blkio/blkio.throttle.read_iops_device"
-		vm_ssh "$vm_num" "echo \"$major_minor $vm_throttle\" > /sys/fs/cgroup/blkio/blkio.throttle.write_iops_device"
+		major_minor=$(vm_exec "$vm_num" "cat /sys/block/$block/dev")
+		vm_exec "$vm_num" "echo \"$major_minor $vm_throttle\" > /sys/fs/cgroup/blkio/blkio.throttle.read_iops_device"
+		vm_exec "$vm_num" "echo \"$major_minor $vm_throttle\" > /sys/fs/cgroup/blkio/blkio.throttle.write_iops_device"
 	fi
 
 	fio_disks+=" --vm=${vm_num}$(printf ':/dev/%s' $SCSI_DISK)"
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ for i in $(seq 1 $fio_iterations); do
 		mkdir -p $TEST_DIR/fio_results/sar_stats
 		pids=""
 		for vm_num in $used_vms; do
-			vm_ssh "$vm_num" "mkdir -p /root/sar; sar -P ALL $vm_sar_interval $vm_sar_count >> /root/sar/sar_stats_VM${vm_num}_run${i}.txt" &
+			vm_exec "$vm_num" "mkdir -p /root/sar; sar -P ALL $vm_sar_interval $vm_sar_count >> /root/sar/sar_stats_VM${vm_num}_run${i}.txt" &
 			pids+=" $!"
 		done
 		for j in $pids; do
diff --git a/test/vhost/readonly/readonly.sh b/test/vhost/readonly/readonly.sh
index 692611706..06760ceb6 100755
--- a/test/vhost/readonly/readonly.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/readonly/readonly.sh
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function blk_ro_tc1()
 	vm_run $vm_no
 	vm_wait_for_boot 300 $vm_no
 	notice "Preparing partition and file on guest VM"
-	vm_ssh $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/disabled_readonly_vm.sh
+	vm_exec $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/disabled_readonly_vm.sh
 	sleep 1
 
 	vm_shutdown_all
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function blk_ro_tc1()
 	vm_run $vm_no
 	vm_wait_for_boot 300 $vm_no
 	notice "Testing readonly feature on guest VM"
-	vm_ssh $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/enabled_readonly_vm.sh
+	vm_exec $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/enabled_readonly_vm.sh
 	sleep 3
 
 	vm_shutdown_all
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ function blk_ro_tc1()
 	vm_run $vm_no
 	vm_wait_for_boot 300 $vm_no
 	notice "Removing partition and file from test disk on guest VM"
-	vm_ssh $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/delete_partition_vm.sh
+	vm_exec $vm_no "bash -s" < $testdir/delete_partition_vm.sh
 	sleep 1
 
 	vm_shutdown_all
diff --git a/test/vhost/vhost_boot/vhost_boot.sh b/test/vhost/vhost_boot/vhost_boot.sh
index 4a914a70a..565e4815c 100755
--- a/test/vhost/vhost_boot/vhost_boot.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/vhost_boot/vhost_boot.sh
@@ -92,14 +92,14 @@ vm_wait_for_boot 300 $vm_no
 timing_exit setup_vm
 
 timing_enter run_vm_cmd
-vm_ssh $vm_no "parted -s /dev/sda mkpart primary 10GB 100%; partprobe;  sleep 0.1;"
-vm_ssh $vm_no "mkfs.ext4 -F /dev/sda2; mkdir -p /mnt/sda2test; mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/sda2test;"
-vm_ssh $vm_no "fio --name=integrity --bsrange=4k-512k --iodepth=128 --numjobs=1 --direct=1 \
+vm_exec $vm_no "parted -s /dev/sda mkpart primary 10GB 100%; partprobe;  sleep 0.1;"
+vm_exec $vm_no "mkfs.ext4 -F /dev/sda2; mkdir -p /mnt/sda2test; mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/sda2test;"
+vm_exec $vm_no "fio --name=integrity --bsrange=4k-512k --iodepth=128 --numjobs=1 --direct=1 \
  --thread=1 --group_reporting=1 --rw=randrw --rwmixread=70 --filename=/mnt/sda2test/test_file \
  --verify=md5 --do_verify=1 --verify_backlog=1024 --fsync_on_close=1 --runtime=20 \
  --time_based=1 --size=1024m"
-vm_ssh $vm_no "umount /mnt/sda2test; rm -rf /mnt/sda2test"
-alignment_offset=$(vm_ssh $vm_no "cat /sys/block/sda/sda1/alignment_offset")
+vm_exec $vm_no "umount /mnt/sda2test; rm -rf /mnt/sda2test"
+alignment_offset=$(vm_exec $vm_no "cat /sys/block/sda/sda1/alignment_offset")
 echo "alignment_offset: $alignment_offset"
 timing_exit run_vm_cmd