[ale] Remote SSH update - question from the cursed

[jenn at colormaria.com]

In most places I consider myself a reasonably competent systems admin,
but when it comes to updating SSH (my *only* way onto most of my
machines) I get so nervous I invariably screw it up and lock myself out
of my machines. I live 250 miles away from most of my machines, and 700
miles away from others.  Screwing up is a big deal.

So.  Two questions.  One, does this procedure make sense and is there a
shorter way to do it:
1) open port on firewall
2) copy /usr/sbin/sshd to /usr/sbin/sshd_old, copy config files
3) run sshd_old with the copied config file on a different port
4) log in on different port
5) install new ssh to standard place, restart server, etc
6) close down alt sshd after verifying log in on new sshd

Two:
I'm now in a situation where I have to manage machines that sit behind
a very restrictive fw that I don't have control over, and it would take
weeks to get another port opened.  Obviously above steps would fail.
I've never been able to just make install over a running sshd, I assume
one is not supposed to do such things.  Help??

TIA,
jenn,
cursed



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