Thanks for your input, unfortunately the servers will be communicating via the inter-web-net-spagetthi. Its OK I have sorted this with ssh passphrases, the only reason I posted to the list instead of using them in the first place is that I was sceptical of the reliability of using them from a windows server but in actual fact it all went swimmingly! Thanks all xD -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.1 GIT/MU/U dpu s: a--> C++>$ U+> L++> B-> P+> E?> W+++>$ N K W++ O M++>$ V- PS+++ PE++ Y+ PGP t 5 X+ R- tv+ b+> DI D+++ G+ e(+++++) h--(++) r++ z++ ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------