Use SSH to copy remote files to local NAS drive

Question

I'm looking to create a script that logs into a machine and pulls back files to a NAS server. The files will be put into a compressed file as it downloads.

Because the script will be looking to download files with varying owners and permissions, it will need to run as root to make sure it captures everything in the home directory.

I have edited my visudo file to allow the backup user to sudo tar without a password. But there is something stopping the command from running successfully:

backup ALL=NOPASSWD: /usr/tar

Command ran from the NAS:

ssh -t backup@192.168.1.4 "sudo tar -zcf - /home/" > /var/backup/server1.tar.gz

Any help would be great, thanks

Update: It would of been good to know why I was down voted for this question.

Doing manually in the machine "sudo tar -zcf - /home/ > /dev/null works? — Fredi, Oct 19 '16 at 16:15
I have tested the visudo and this works on the machine, however it doesn't accept it through SSH. — jamboNum5, Oct 20 '16 at 07:07
check the tty settings on sudo, maybe you have: Defaults requiretty — Fredi, Oct 21 '16 at 10:29
Replying to myself, you're using ssh -t so this does not matter. Can you try from your NAS: ssh -t backup@192.168.1.4 id ? — Fredi, Oct 21 '16 at 10:53

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 21 '16 at 10:39

I double checked running sudo tar on the machine with out SSH and indeed wasn't working (thanks @Fredi).

I then ran visudo again and moved the following to bottom of config, as this apparently makes the setting take precedence.

backup ALL=NOPASSWD: /usr/tar

I was then able to SSH without the -t and run sudo tar.

Use SSH to copy remote files to local NAS drive

1 Answers1