Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 16:12:21 -0800 From: Gary Kline <kline@thought.org> To: Matthew Seaman <m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk>, Gary Kline <kline@thought.org>, FreeBSD Mailing List <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: synchronization utility (! using ssh) Message-ID: <20031028001221.GA98218@tao.thought.org> In-Reply-To: <20031027200722.GA25814@happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk> References: <20031027185625.GA97440@tao.thought.org> <20031027200722.GA25814@happy-idiot-talk.infracaninophile.co.uk>
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On Mon, Oct 27, 2003 at 08:07:22PM +0000, Matthew Seaman wrote: > On Mon, Oct 27, 2003 at 10:56:25AM -0800, Gary Kline wrote: > > > Wasn't there/isn't there a remote sync utility that you > > could use without ssh. You had, perhaps optionally, a list > > of directories (andor files) and the utility copied > > only changed files from machine A to :B? I use ssh, > > and have a pretty good firewall set up on my DNS server. > > Just wondering if some of this isn't overkill... and > > trying to remember the utility. Was it rsync after all? > > rsync(1), rdist(1), even tar(1) all can be used with alternatives to > ssh in order to copy files to a remote machine. The question is "why > would you want to?" > > Basically, if you aren't using ssh(1), then you're using rsh(1) which > is an archaic protocol; a security incident waiting to happen and > something you don't admit to using in polite company. I could mention > rexec here, but this is a family mailing list and inappropriate for > the sort of invective I would feel obliged to heap upon it. > > ssh(1) is only overkill until you realise exactly what you are laying > yourself open to by not using it. Even inside a protected network, > get into the habit of using it: it doesn't take much to accidentally > end up using an inferior, insecure alternative to external > destinations. Plus ssh(1) has other advantages like correctly > returning the exit status of remote commands, being able to use key > based authentication, X11 display forwarding and ssh-agent forwarding. > It was rdist, thanks, Matthew; the name is somehow less than adaquate, I think. At any rate, years ago I had rdist neatly set up with an [easily] modifyable distfile and backed up one system to another. This, along with a nightly tape backup, meant that it would take a great deal of bad-luck to lose myimportant files. I do have my internal systems rigged with ssh. It would be nice if rdist has a -f switch or could otherwise take imput from a file. I need to man -t rdist and find a quiet corner... . gary -- Gary Kline kline@thought.org www.thought.org Public service Unix
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