If you have the same problem like me, connecting to a svn server that is only reachable over a gate server, try this:

• Add your root public ssh key to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the gate server.
• And your user public ssh key to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the svn server.
• Try this: ssh -L 24:<svn_server>:22 <gate_login>@<gate_server>
• Now nmap should show something like this:

doep ~ # nmap localhost

PORT      STATE SERVICE
24/tcp    open  priv-mail

• You can also create an init script. /etc/init.d/sshtun

#!/sbin/runscript
SSHTUN_OPTIONS="-L 24:<svn_server>:22 <gate_login>@<gate_server> -N"

depend() {
need net
}

start() {
ebegin "Starting sshtun"
start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --exec /usr/bin/ssh --background \
--pidfile /var/run/sshtun.pid --make-pidfile -- $SSHTUN_OPTIONS
eend $?
}

stop() {
ebegin "Stopping sshtun"
start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --pidfile /var/run/sshtun.pid
eend $?
}

• Don’t forget to make it executable:

doep ~ # chmod +x /etc/init.d/sshtun

• Then start the ssh tunnel:

doep ~ # /etc/init.d/sshtun start

• To create the tunnel on startup, use rc-update:

doep ~ # rc-update add sshtun default

• Now open your ssh config ~/.ssh/config and add a new server:

Host svn
HostName localhost
User <svn_user>
Port 24

• If you have already checked out a repository you can easily change the location:

doep@doep ~ $ svn switch --relocate http://<svn_server>/svn/repository svn+ssh://svn/var/svn/repos/repository

• Otherwise check it out:

doep@doep ~ $ svn co svn+ssh://svn/var/svn/repos/repository