rsnapshot misinterprete ssh_args (Unexpected remote arg)

[Inkvisitor]

Hello,

The situation is that rnapshot forms ssh_args for rsync that way so they became as source instead of arguments or something like that. Examples and detailed explanation below:

version: rsnapshot-1.4.3-1

Here is rsnapshot config:

################################################################################
config_version	1.2
snapshot_root	/backup/rsnapshot/remote.server.tld/
cmd_cp		/usr/bin/cp
cmd_rm		/usr/bin/rm
cmd_rsync	/usr/bin/rsync
cmd_ssh	/usr/bin/ssh
cmd_logger	/usr/bin/logger
cmd_du		/usr/bin/du
cmd_rsnapshot_diff	/bin/rsnapshot-diff
retain	monthly	2
verbose		2
loglevel	3
lockfile	/var/run/rsnapshot_remote.server.tld.pid
logfile		/var/log/rsnapshot/rsnapshot_remote.server.tld.log
rsync_long_args	--bwlimit=30000
ssh_args	-p 22 -i /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa

backup	root@123.456.789.123:/home/backup/		remote.server.tld/
backup	root@123.456.789.123:/etc/			remote.server.tld/
backup	root@123.456.789.123:/var/www/		remote.server.tld/
################################################################################

here is part of result of rsnapshot -t -c /etc/rsnapshot.d/rsnapshot_remote.server.tld monthly command (just to be briefer):

/usr/bin/rsync -a --bwlimit=30000 --rsh=/usr/bin/ssh -p 22 -i \
    /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa root@123.456.789.123:/var/www/ \
    /backup/rsnapshot/remote.server.tld/monthly.0/remote.server.tld/ 

If you would run the rsync command directly as it is (from console), it would return error:

# /usr/bin/rsync -a --bwlimit=30000 --rsh=/usr/bin/ssh -p 22 -i \
>     /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa root@123.456.789.123:/var/www/ \
>     /backup/rsnapshot/remote.server.tld/test/ 2>&1
Unexpected remote arg: root@123.456.789.123:/var/www/
rsync error: syntax or usage error (code 1) at main.c(1344) [sender=3.1.2]

But, if I put the --rsh arguments for the rsync command between quotes, it works as expected:

/usr/bin/rsync -a --rsh="/usr/bin/ssh -p 22 -i /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa" \
    root@123.456.789.123:/var/www/ \
    /backup/rsnapshot/remote.server.tld/test/ 

So here is the question: is it possible to make rsnapshot acting the similar way?

[StefanMoch]

The easiest and cleanest way to do this, would be:

• leave ssh_args out
• change root@123.456.789.123 to remote.server.tld in your rsnapshot configuration
• configure ssh to use your key in /root/.ssh/config:

Host remote.server.tld
	IdentityFile /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa
	# Port 22 # only needed if you changed it somewhere else
	# User root # ssh uses the local user name for the remote login if not changed, so probably not needed
	# HostName 123.456.789.123 # only needed if the name resolution (DNS or hosts) does not work, or remote.server.tld is an alias just for rsnapshot, see below.

If you normally use another IdentityFile and this would disturb your other logins to this machine, you can use another name as an alias for this machine in your source argument in rsnapshot.conf and on the Host line in .ssh/config, but then you will need the HostName line either IP address or name.

[Inkvisitor]

The easiest and cleanest way to do this, would be:

* leave `ssh_args` out

* change `root@123.456.789.123` to `remote.server.tld` in your rsnapshot configuration

* configure ssh to use your key in `/root/.ssh/config`:

Host remote.server.tld
	IdentityFile /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa
	# Port 22 # only needed if you changed it somewhere else
	# User root # ssh uses the local user name for the remote login if not changed, so probably not needed
	# HostName 123.456.789.123 # only needed if the name resolution (DNS or hosts) does not work, or remote.server.tld is an alias just for rsnapshot, see below.

If you normally use another IdentityFile and this would disturb your other logins to this machine, you can use another name as an alias for this machine in your source argument in rsnapshot.conf and on the Host line in .ssh/config, but then you will need the HostName line either IP address or name.

Thank you very much! This workaround works for our case!

[djk20]

I haven't really kept up with this recently, but I was thinking a few years ago that if sub print_cmd in rsnapshot added quotes when there are spaces (or other characters that would need quoting) inside any of the array elements it is printing, that would make it a lot easier for people to copy & paste commands from rsnapshot -v output or log files and might therefore reduce some of the confusion we've seen about quoting in general (which has sometimes lead to some versions of rsnapshot treating quoting/spaces in incompatible ways to other versions in certain situations). I think it would also fix the issue that inkvisitor raised, by adding quotes to the command printed by rsnapshot -t when ssh_args has spaces in it (but without making a special case in rsnapshot for ssh_args specifically).

…

On Fri, 12 Jun 2020 at 00:39, Inkvisitor ***@***.***> wrote: The easiest and cleanest way to do this, would be: * leave `ssh_args` out * change ***@***.***` to `remote.server.tld` in your rsnapshot configuration * configure ssh to use your key in `/root/.ssh/config`: Host remote.server.tld IdentityFile /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa # Port 22 # only needed if you changed it somewhere else # User root # ssh uses the local user name for the remote login if not changed, so probably not needed # HostName 123.456.789.123 # only needed if the name resolution (DNS or hosts) does not work, or remote.server.tld is an alias just for rsnapshot, see below. If you normally use another IdentityFile and this would disturb your other logins to this machine, you can use another name as an alias for this machine in your source argument in rsnapshot.conf *and* on the Host line in .ssh/config, but then you will need the HostName line either IP address or name. Thank you very much! This workaround works for our case! — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#258 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAPTLCU6AOHGP3GNDYN3DNLRWDUC3ANCNFSM4NM5VTUA> .

-- David Keegel <david.keegel@gmail.com>

[pr0fsmith]

I'm having the same issue but I don't really understand the solution. Can you break it down in layman's terms or tell me what I should google to figure this out? I'm lost at this line "hange root@123.456.789.123 to remote.server.tld in your rsnapshot configuration"

[backit]

I'm having the same issue but I don't really understand the solution. Can you break it down in layman's terms or tell me what I should google to figure this out? I'm lost at this line "hange root@123.456.789.123 to remote.server.tld in your rsnapshot configuration"

This is to use a ssh configuration to access the server instead passing args to ssh. In your $HOME/.ssh/config file set configurations parameter to connect to server. For example you want to connect to server 1.2.3.4 as root, then set:

Host myserver
   hostname 1.2.3.4
   user root

you can also configure a port (if different from 22), or identityfile if different from that used by you user.

then you call:
ssh myserver
and you connect to 1.2.3.4 as root

[pr0fsmith]

Thanks for this. I appreciate it. Mar. 30, 2022 7:47:37 a.m. backit ***@***.***>:

…

I'm having the same issue but I don't really understand the solution. Can you break it down in layman's terms or tell me what I should google to figure this out? I'm lost at this line "hange ***@***.**** to *remote.server.tld* in your rsnapshot configuration" This is to use a ssh configuration to access the server instead passing args to ssh. In your $HOME/.ssh/config file set configurations parameter to connect to server. For example you want to connect to server 1.2.3.4 as root, then set: Host myserver    hostname 1.2.3.4    user root you can also configure a port (if different from 22), or identityfile if different from that used by you user. then you call: *ssh myserver* and you connect to 1.2.3.4 as root — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub[#258 (comment)], or unsubscribe[https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AM5FBGDFM6EJYXATSTCSN2TVCQ5NNANCNFSM4NM5VTUA]. You are receiving this because you commented. [data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAD8AAAA/CAYAAABXXxDfAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAARzQklUCAgICHwIZIgAAABcSURBVGgF7dABDQAAAMKg909tDwcRKAwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDAgAEDBgwYMGDgZGA+QwABeHisFQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==###24x24:true###][Tracking image][https://github.com/notifications/beacon/AM5FBGFSIQIW6HWJXII4VETVCQ5NNA5CNFSM4NM5VTUKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOICG57IY.gif]

[pr0fsmith]

You're right. That's exactly how I fixed it. Thanks for responding. Apr 9, 2023 9:12:40 p.m. AdamDanischewski ***@***.***>:

…

I think you may need to just *"*quote*"* the ssh args, I had this error and got it to go just surrounding the --rsh w/ssh_args option like this: */usr/bin/rsync -a --bwlimit=30000 --rsh="/usr/bin/ssh -p 22 -i /etc/rsnapshot.d/id_rsa" ***@***.***:/var/www/ /backup/rsnapshot/remote.server.tld/monthly.0/remote.server.tld/* — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub[#258 (comment)], or unsubscribe[https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AM5FBGCZHVR75CZPOOH4E3TXANNARANCNFSM4NM5VTUA]. You are receiving this because you commented.[Tracking image][https://github.com/notifications/beacon/AM5FBGF2QKPPOTALLRORQSTXANNARA5CNFSM4NM5VTUKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOLF5YZQA.gif]