Synching between servers?

[Tim Woodall <debianuser@woodall.me.uk>]

Do people auto synch files between servers and, if so, how do they 
manage ssh keys?

1. Key is unprotected (only readable by root)
2. Key is manually loaded into agent after a reboot.
3. Job is run from a third host using forwarding.
4. Something else?

I've used 1 but usually the server with the key is behind a vpn for 
inbound connections so a key compromise probably isn't the worst of my 
issues, but I've now got a case where the servers are symmetric and 
there's not an obvious place for the key.

Tim.