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On 08/19/11 14:00, Grant wrote: |
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>> We're doing the same thing for our backups. Here's that chunk of our |
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>> documentation, if it's helpful. |
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> |
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> Thanks Michael. You've found that a shell account is required on the |
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> backup server in order to push backups to it? |
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Yes, you have to be able to run a command (rdiff-backup --server...) and |
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that requires a shell. I tried to do it without a shell, but couldn't |
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figure out how to do it sensibly. I do `chmod 700` all home directories. |
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> Is the purpose of the Host block in .ssh/config to store the hostname |
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> of the backup server so it doesn't need to be used directly in the |
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> rdiff-backup command? |
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It forces key-based authentication when connecting to the backup server. |
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The default is password-based, which obviously won't work in a cron job. |
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> Why create a password for the backup user? Doesn't that open up the |
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> possibility of someone logging in as that user, when otherwise the |
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> account would only be used for backing up files? |
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It might work without one; in these instructions the |
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machine-to-be-backed-up never connects to the backup server as root, and |
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so you need a way to SCP stuff to the backup server. I usually use a |
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`pwgen 16` password for these accounts and then immediately forget it, |
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so nobody will log in to them for a few billion years at least. |
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Does key-based authentication work with no password? I've never tried. |
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I am emotionally troubled by the existence of local shell accounts, but |
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rationally, I know that no one can ever log in to them. |
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