Ssh – using rsync through secure ssh in a cron job

backupnetwork-attached-storagersyncssh

I am trying to set up a shell script under Debian GNU/Linux to backup a directory and subdirectories to a remote NAS running Linux over SSH. This connection has to be encrypted.

I have tried a couple different approaches involving rsync rsh and such but without luck. I know how to set up the crontab, but I need a script that will run unattended (i.e., it won't ask for password)

Could anyone help me?

EDIT:
I can successfully login without a password now.

The problem now is to get rsync to copy the files in /backups/ to [remote system]:/backups/

It only copies one folder from /backups/ to [remote system]:/backups/.

EDIT: Seems local system has one /backups and one /backup… I have tried with /backups when I should have used /backup…

Final command: rsync -avzr -e ssh /backup/ admin@[IP]:/backups/

Best Answer

rsync since 2.6.x defaults to using ssh for transfers. So it's already taken care of as long as your remote NAS rsync is supported.

As to password less unattended transfers, setup ssh key based authentication for the user you are running the cron as and that should be done. Here is how you set it up -- http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/ssh-public-key-based-authentication-how-to.html

Related Solutions

Ssh – rsync over ssh backup failing after relocation of server

It appears like your connection has been established and data has been transmitted so it doesn't seem like the issue is related to your known_hosts or establishing your connection.

If there was a NAT between the 2 computers and rsync needed to calculate the checksum for a large file then it seems like it would be possible that the time it takes to calculate the checksum would exceed the length of time that the translation for your connection is saved in the state table. I would be tempted to add an option like this ServerAliveInterval 60 on the machine acting as the ssh client to force keep alives to be sent.

Linux – setting up a password for cron rsync over ssh

Anything you do will be insecure without the use of ssh and sshd.

The canonical way is to use scp or even better, rsync and an ssh key without a password.

Alternatively, create a key used only for copy, and on the remote end edit the authorized_keys file to contain only the command(s) you need to run, and the key, e.g.:

# remote_server:/home/copyuser/.ssh/authorized_keys:
command="[...]" ssh-rsa KEY_HERE user@host

There is also scponly available. If you create a user, set their shell in /etc/passwd to /usr/bin/scponly and they will not be allowed to login, but copy files in and out per the normal permissions.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ssh – rsync over ssh backup failing after relocation of server

Linux – setting up a password for cron rsync over ssh

Related Topic