I am implementing an automated backup scheme so I created a shell script which first creates SQL Dumps for all MySQL databases, then it retrieves all the websites from the /var/www of a remote server. The latter is working as I am using rsync to get the remote files.

However, obviously, the MySQL dumps being retrieved are the ones on the local server which is not what I want. I want to get the SQL Dumps from the remote server as well.

I have a tunnel between the local and remote server which I can connect without using any password (I added the public key to the authorized_hosts), so I tried to add the following code to the script:

ssh [email protected]

Then I tried to retrieve the SQL dumps and then I exit from the remote server. However this does not work as I still have to enter exit manually in the terminal for the SQL dumps to be retrieved from the remote host. I don't know why this is happening. Basically this is what the script is trying to do:

//connect to remote server 
ssh [email protected]

//retrieve SQL dumps 
//code to retrieve...

//exit from remote server 
exit

//use rsync to get remote files of /var/www from local server (working)

Is there a way to connect to the remote host AND run the script's code ON THAT remote host?

Many thanks in advance