Re: [rdiff-backup-users] Backing up the backup server

[Finn-Arne Johansen]

Brian C wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have a backup server running OpenSUSE, call it 'backup-server' and a
> dns server running Debian, call it 'dns-server'. They are on the same
> subnet. Last night I got rdiff-backup 1.0.4 installed on both so that
> backup-server backs up dns-server via a cron job, basically following
> the instructions at http://www.howtoforge.com/linux_rdiff_backup.
> 
> However, I cannot similarly get backup-server to backup itself via the
> backup user's cron job. Instead I have to let root run the cron job.
> Every time the backup user runs rdiff-backup it requests a password
> rather than running without requiring interaction.

What is the command-line you are using ?

> Question 1: For a purely local backup such as this, is there any reason
> (security concerns, for instance) to prefer that it not run as root, and
> instead to have it run as the backup user?
> 
> If the answer to question 1 is yes, then:
> 
> Question 2: Why does rdiff-backup keep asking me for a password, instead
> of working without interaction as it does when it backs up dns-server?
> What are the things I should check?

I guess we need to see you command line.

when using localhost for backup, you dont need to specify a
hostname-part of the destination

> 
> I already looked at /home/backup/.ssh/config and
> /root/.ssh/authorized_keys and /etc/ssh/sshd_config and everything looks
> just as good as it did for the server that works.

No need to use keys to authenticate for a localhost, as ssh should not
be used ( but it should work)

> I also tried the sudoers method described here:
> http://www.arctic.org/~dean/rdiff-backup/unattended.html
> 
> and I also get asked for a password by sudo! Aack!?!

That depends on the sudo-rights.

-- 
Finn-Arne Johansen
address@hidden http://bzz.no/
Debian-edu developer and Solution provider
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