how to execute commands via ssh shell runner from private gitlab to private server - ssh

Question

Situation:
shell gitlab runner, certificate configured, ssh connected as follows:
ssh-keygen --> id_rsa & id_rsa.pub
ssh-copy-id <user>#<remotehost>
ssh <user>#<remotehost> works as designed
id_rsa -> gitlab cicd variable called 'SSH_PRIVATE_KEY'
gitlab-ci as follows:
before_script:
- echo "Before script section"
# Install ssh-agent if not already installed, it is required by Docker.
# (change apt-get to yum if you use a CentOS-based image)
- 'which ssh-agent || ( apt-get update -y && apt-get install openssh-client -y )'
# Run ssh-agent (inside the build environment)
- eval $(ssh-agent -s)
# Add the SSH key stored in SSH_PRIVATE_KEY variable to the agent store
- ssh-add < ~/.ssh/id_rsa
- ssh-add -l
build1:
stage: build
script:
- echo "Pulling on Dev\n"
- ssh -A <user>#<remotehost>
- hostname
- ssh-agent bash -c 'hostname'
- ssh-agent bash -c 'awk "NR==1{print;exit}" /etc/php7/php.ini'
Complication:
when executing commands via gitlab-ci after the ssh connection, it seems to be executed on the gitlab machine. (php is installed on the ssh'ed system, not on gitlab)
See gitlab job output below:
...
eval $(ssh-agent -s)
Agent pid 1234
$ ssh-add < ~/.ssh/id_rsa
Identity added: /home/gitlab-runner/.ssh/id_rsa (/home/gitlab-runner/.ssh/id_rsa)
$ ssh-add -l
4096 SHA256:<KEY> /home/gitlab-runner/.ssh/id_rsa (RSA)
# same behaviour with ssh -T <user>#<ipaddress> -p <portnumber>
$ ssh -A <user>#<ipaddress> -p <portnumber>
Pseudo-terminal will not be allocated because stdin is not a terminal.
The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.
Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
$ hostname
gitlab
$ ssh-agent bash -c 'hostname'
gitlab
$ ssh-agent bash -c 'awk "NR==1{print;exit}" /etc/php7/php.ini'
awk: cannot open /etc/php7/php.ini (No such file or directory)
In what way do I need to configure the system, so that the commands are actually run on the ssh'ed system?

Answer 1

I'm currently working with a solution which seems a bit too dirty for me.
In the gitlab-ci I'm pulling and running phpunit as follows
ssh -T <user>#<remotehost> "cd /var/www/projectfolder; git pull https://<gitlabUser>:$GITLAB_TOKEN#<privateGitlab>/<gitRepo>.git;"
ssh -T <user>#<remotehost> "cd /var/www/projectfolder/tests; phpunit;"
ie, I'm using a new ssh each time I'd like to run a command, which doesnt quite seem right to me. Any suggestions are welcome!

Answer 2

#til As per your suggestion request, single ssh command...
ssh -T <user>#<remotehost> "cd /var/www/projectfolder; git pull https://<gitlabUser>:$GITLAB_TOKEN#<privateGitlab>/<gitRepo>.git; cd /var/www/projectfolder/tests; phpunit;"