using rsync to backup windows workstations

[Thomas Lambert]

I have about 12 NT servers that I want to backup 1 directory to my Linux
Server.  The problem I am having is trying to get it not to ask for the
user's password.  I am trying to use ssh.  I just installed the latest
cygwin on my NT server (1.3.4).  Rsync is 2.4.6.  What I have tried was on
the NT machine, I ran ssh-keygen (no passphrase) and then added the
identity.pub to the Linux box in the /home/thomas/.ssh/authorized_keys.
When I run:
rsync -uv -e ssh *.* thomas at linuxbox:backup/
it asks for a password.  Besides asking for the password, it works fine.
Only the files changed are updated and it is FAST! I saw the ssh-agent.  Do
I need to use it? and how?  Is there something I need to do on my Linux
server?  I am pretty new to Linux, and have a long way to go to be an
"expert", but I can get around.

Thanks for any help.

Thomas Lambert
VP
DSC Associates, Inc.
thomas at dscassociates.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lapo Luchini" <lapo at lapo.it>
To: <rsync at lists.samba.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: using rsync to backup windows workstations


> As officially I'm the mantainer of cygwin's rsync package I feel I must
add
> something.. 0=)
>
> > a) rsync binaries for win32/cygwin are now available from the binaries
> >    section of the rsync web pages, maintained by someone at redhat I
think
>
> Maintained by me, I don't work for redhat, and sadly I have a bit too
little time
> to maintain it as I should...
>
> > b) the version attached is so old that you really shouldn't attempt to
use  it.
> >    Get the latest CVS version and add Wayne Davison's patches (see
> >    mailing list archives), in particular for use with Windoze systems,
> >    then compile it yourself with cygwin
>
> ...but not so little not to compile it with Wayne's patches (actual patch
is the
> latest anti-hang available at the date of the release of cygwin's
rsync-2.4.6-2
> package) ;-)
>
> If there's some patch that I missed (I read this mailing list since when I
began to
> mantain that package, but reading only headers of most messages maybe I
missed
> something...) please point it to me and I'll release a new verison shortly
=)
>
> Please note that I'm not an "expert programmer" of rsync, just a person
that likes
> and uses it (and wants maybe to become such an expert, btw): in cygwin one
package
> can't exist in the distribution if there's not a mantainer... so I hope
that the
> effort I put in it is not wasted, even if it's maybe not enough... [I've
got a bit
> of guild for that eheh]
>
> > c) it's easy to compile under cygwin, and cygwin is easy to install, so
I
> >    strongly recommend doing that
>
> That's true, it compiles out-of-the box.
> The main problem is that in winsocks if the socket is closed a RST is
sent, not
> flushing the cache.
> This creates many errors at the end of trasnfer, especially in the daemon
mode
> (which is not addressed by the patch I used, I bet).
>
> > d) also install openssh which compiles cleanly under cygwin and is much
> >    more reliable than the ssh that is attached here
>
> Compiles cleanly and is available as a binary.
>
> If anyone wants to ask some more question.. feel free, even if I don't
know nothing
> "special" about it, as I said I had not had the time to completely study
and
> understand rsync source...
>
> C ya,
> Lapo
>
> --
> Lapo Luchini
> lapo at lapo.it (PGP & X.509 keys available)
> http://www.lapo.it (ICQ UIN: 529796)
>
>
>