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How-To: ssh-based remote CAIDA CVS access for collaborators
Intended for external CAIDA collaborators, this page is a how-to regarding ssh key setup necessary to access CAIDA's CVS repositories remotely.

CVS environment settings (for bash shell users)

client$ export CVS_RSH=ssh
client$ export CVSROOT=:ext:$USER@cvs.caida.org:/cvs

CVS environment settings (for tcsh or csh shell users)

client$ setenv CVS_RSH ssh
client$ setenv CVSROOT :ext:$USER@cvs.caida.org:/cvs

Setting up ssh keys so you don't have to put a password in every time

The instructions below assume bash as your shell.

  • Generate keys for use from the command line: 
    client$ mkdir ~/.ssh
client$ chmod 700 ~/.ssh
client$ ssh-keygen -q -f ~/.ssh/id_dsa -t dsa
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): .
Enter same passphrase again: .

    You should set a password for your private key for better security. This should be different than your login password. (You can use ssh-agent to remember the password so you dont have to keep typing it)

  • Send us a copy of the key to sysadm@caida.org. This can be found in ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub (you can use more or cat to view the contents eg: more ~/.ssh/id_dsa.pub). Simply copy and paste the key to email.
  • Test your key login. ssh to the cvs server. It should ask you for your private key. Enter the key and see that it connects without asking for your login password.
  • Use ssh-agent to remember your key password. From command line:
    • Invoke a ssh agent bash session: 
      client$ ssh-agent bash
    • Add the key into the ssh-agent with ssh-add. The argument -t specifies the time that ssh-agent remembers the password (in seconds, unless specified. e.g., 600 = 600 seconds. 600m = 600 minutes. 600h = 600 hours) 
      client$ ssh-add -t 600

Note: if you are using linux desktop graphical environment it will ask you for the key password automatically and save it for you without having to invoke ssh-agent or ssh-add

  Last Modified: Tue Oct-13-2020 22:21:53 UTC
  Page URL: https://www.caida.org/home/how-to/cvs/index.xml