[cobalt-users] Backing up using scripted ssh + rsync - Help on ssh-agent

["Glenn Parsons" <gparsons@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

I have posted this question before and got some interesting answers. Unless
I misunderstood the answers, I didn't get a satisfactory solution.

I will be using rsync in conjunction with ssh authentication to back up my
servers using cron scripts. The problem lies in password-less
authentication.

I DO understand that the public key for the client has to be on the server,
ssh-agent needs to be invoked as well as ssh-add.

The real problem is where??? If I invoke ssh-agent and ssh-add in my backup
script there will be a prompt for my passphrase. This seems a catch22.

I have done a lot of research on this and I can get so far as being able to
login without a username and password from the command line. That does not
work in a script.

I have seen where people have done this without a passphrase. That would be
fine for my LAN behind a firewall. What abourt my machines that are exposed
to all the hackers out there on the public side???

Maybe I just don't understand? Help!

Thanks,
Glenn