diff --git a/manifests/backup.pp b/manifests/backup.pp
index 7b31679..585621d 100644
--- a/manifests/backup.pp
+++ b/manifests/backup.pp
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ define mysql_backup::backup (
     }
   }
 
+  if ! defined(Package['mysql-client']) {
+    package { 'mysql-client':
+      ensure => present,
+    }
+  }
+
   cron { "${name}-backup":
     ensure  => present,
     command => "/usr/bin/mysqldump --defaults-file=${defaults_file} --opt --ignore-table mysql.event --all-databases | gzip -9 > ${dest_dir}/${name}.sql.gz",
diff --git a/manifests/backup_remote.pp b/manifests/backup_remote.pp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..257c363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/backup_remote.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# == Define: mysql_backup::backup_remote
+#
+# Arguments determine when backups should be taken, where they should
+# be located, and how often they shouled be rotated. Additionally
+# provide remote DB authentication details for that DB to be backed up.
+# This define assumes that the mysqldump command is installed under
+# /usr/bin. All reachable DBs and tables will be backed up.
+#
+define mysql_backup::backup_remote (
+  $database_host,
+  $database_user,
+  $database_password,
+  $minute = '0',
+  $hour = '0',
+  $day = '*',
+  $dest_dir = '/var/backups/mysql_backups',
+  $rotation = 'daily',
+  $num_backups = '30'
+) {
+  # Wrap in check as there may be mutliple backup defines backing
+  # up to the same dir.
+  if ! defined(File[$dest_dir]) {
+    file { $dest_dir:
+      ensure => directory,
+      mode   => '0755',
+      owner  => 'root',
+      group  => 'root',
+    }
+  }
+  $defaults_file = "/root/.${name}_db.cnf"
+  file { $defaults_file:
+    ensure  => present,
+    mode    => '0400',
+    owner   => 'root',
+    group   => 'root',
+    content => template('mysql_backup/my.cnf.erb'),
+  }
+
+  if ! defined(Package['mysql-client']) {
+    package { 'mysql-client':
+      ensure => present,
+    }
+  }
+
+  cron { "${name}-backup":
+    ensure  => present,
+    command => "/usr/bin/mysqldump --defaults-file=${defaults_file} --opt --ignore-table mysql.event --all-databases | gzip -9 > ${dest_dir}/${name}.sql.gz",
+    minute  => $minute,
+    hour    => $hour,
+    weekday => $day,
+    require => [
+      File[$dest_dir],
+      File[$defaults_file],
+    ],
+  }
+
+  include logrotate
+  logrotate::file { "${name}-rotate":
+    log     => "${dest_dir}/${name}.sql.gz",
+    options => [
+      'nocompress',
+      "rotate ${num_backups}",
+      $rotation,
+    ],
+    require => Cron["${name}-backup"],
+  }
+}
diff --git a/templates/my.cnf.erb b/templates/my.cnf.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c168a7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/my.cnf.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[client]
+host=<%= database_host %>
+user=<%= database_user %>
+password=<%= database_password %>