My current setup involves 3 computers, one desktop one laptop and a vps. In my current setup I have created annex repos on the server and cloned from it, both machines sync to the server. All three use non base repos. Now I have another annex folder on the desktop that I would like to sync between the three. Both machines are behind NAT so server can not communicate with the machines. In order to init the repo on the vps, I was thinking of setting up a temporary VPN/port forward between the desktop and the VPS then clone from the desktop finally remove the remote section in .git/config on the server so VPS becomes the master again. First of all is there an easier way to do this? if not is it safe to do this? or is it going to cause problems down the line.
You could certainly do that. I don't think it's the easiest way.
Note that this is essentially a git question. It really has nothing to do with git-annex, unless you want to use the git-annex assistant, which can sync a repository over XMPP without needing a central git repository at all.
If I had this problem with git in general, I would make a new empty repository on the server, and push the local repository I have on the one machine to it. Then on the other machine, I would clone from the server. Problem solved, I think?