How to create an SSH volume using FUSE

Using the references that he mentions, one can have one’s SSH account appear as a directory — making it easy to handle and manage. Here’s how…

Steps:
1. Download the MacFUSE binaries.
2. Once downloaded, install with this command:
sudo tar -C / -jxvpf fuse-binaries-0.1.0b006.tar.bz2
Note that you might have to change the version number to match your download.
3. Reboot, so that the new kernel extensions are loaded.
4. Connect to one’s SSH account using the sshfs command.

For example, say I want to mount the home directory on my dreamhost account, which has the domain name bottlecap.dreamhost.com. I would do it by executing the following command:

$ sshfs username@bottlecap.dreamhost.com: $PWD/dream

Remember that the dream directory must exist in your home folder and be owned by you, the user. To unmount the directory once your work is done, use this command:

$ fusermount -u

For example, in my case, I would use fusermount -u $PWD/dream

References:
Setting up MacFUSE on your Mac OS X system
File Systems Talk, and MacFUSE
Filesystem in Userspace
SSH Filesystem

Thanks, Amit, for the tip — much appreciated!

[robg adds: A variation on this tip was also submitted by yanokwa, who described the ssh mounting process in a bit more detail:

“To use mount a file system using sshfs, use this:
$ mkdir /some/mount/point
You can also use one that already exists, but not in /Volumes. To mount the SSH file system, use this:
sshfs user@host:/some/directory /some/mount/point
-oping_diskarb,volname=volname

There’s a how-to wiki on the above-linked MacFUSE site if you need additional assistance. Note that I have not tested this one myself.]

From : http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20070112074843863