Re: ssh-agent without graphical display manager? how?

[Ken Irving <fnkci@uaf.edu>]

On Sun, Jan 04, 2009 at 08:55:27AM -0700, Paul E Condon wrote:
> I'm in the process of converting from nfs to sshfs on my home-grown
> file-server/backup-server computer. This computer does not run Xwindows
> or any other graphical manager. I control it mostly by logging into it
> using ssh.  But when I log in this way, it appears that ssh-agent is
> not started, and consequently, I cannot use ssh-add on it.  I can, of
> course, use ssh-add on my desktop computer, but that is not where the
> private key for the backup server is stored. Has anyone confronted
> this situation and worked out a solution? Advice? 

I often do something like I think you're describing, and just run
bash or other shell (or startx, etc.) as an argument to ssh-agent.
ssh-agent exports some variables to identify the ssh agent process or
fifo, it doesn't care if what it's wrapping is graphical or otherwise.

    $ ssh-agent bash
    $ ssh-add
    ...

Ken

-- 
Ken Irving