The same account for SCP and SFTP

Server, Cloud, and IoT
#1

Hi, it is possible to use the same account for SCP and SFTP (sshd) connecting to a server? Or is it technically excluded?

Thanks

#2

Yes – not only possible but common. Can you explain the use case / situation a bit more?

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#3

At one backup server, I need to have one user access through SCP and SFTP.

User bck → SCP protocol → access to /bck/scp
User bck → SFTP protocol → access to /bck/sftp

The same user needs to backup through two protocol to the same server to two directories.

#4

Why do you need them to access different directories with different protocols? Does it need to be restricted to only those protocols and only those directories?

1 Like
#5

I have two types of IoT boxes. The first type support only SCP protocol and the second type only SFTP protocol. From both types of boxes, I need to back up to my backup server. Optimally with one user account (due to simplicity for users).

Box 1 → SCP protocol → backup to folder /bck/scp
Box 2 → SFTP protocol → backup to folder /bck/sftp

Maybe my idea is bad and a better solution is with two accounts.

#6

I personally would go with one account per system. But, if you want to share, there’s no reason not to. You don’t have to do anything special — both scp and sftp are on by default.

I still would go with /bck/system-name for each individual box though rather than doing it by protocol.

Well, actually, I’d use /srv/bck/system-name or /srv/backup/system-name — that’s what /srv is there for.