An Rsync server runs as a daemon to which a client connects. The client can copy files from the client to the server or from the server to the client. The protocol connecting the two machine is RSYNC over TCP.

Rsync supports incremental copies of directories and subdirectories, making it very useful fro backups.

A client connecting to the server has the format

#rsync username@XigmaNAS.domain::

Returns the message of the day and a list of the rsync modules followed by each modules description

#rsync username@XigmaNAS.domain:

Returns a directory listing of username home directory

#rsync -a -v /local_directory username@XigmaNAS_Hostname.domain::Rsync_Module

Synchronises Rsync_Module with the local directory (copies new files from local to server)

#rsync -a -v username@XigmaNAS_Hostname.domain::Rsync_Module /local_directory 

Synchronises local directory with the Rsync_Module(copies new files from server to local)

rsync - client command:

• -a - archive (recursive, support symlinks, preserve permissions, preserve group, preserve modification times)
• -v - verbose
• :: - indicates that it is an rsync module. This is important, a single “:” will not work

Rsync_Module is the name given to the remote directory in the - see Rsync Module

For more information on the rsync client see the freeBSD rsync man page

To configure the rsync server:

1. Services|RSYNC|Server|Settings
2. Services|RSYNC|Server|Modules