rsync (EN)

Definition

rsync is a powerful command-line tool for synchronizing files and directories between systems. It transfers only the differences between source and target files, making it particularly efficient for incremental backups. rsync supports transfer over SSH, ensuring secure data transfer, and enables creation of exact copies of your data with minimal bandwidth requirements.

Architecture

flowchart LR   A[Source System] -->|rsync command| B[rsync process]   B --> C[SSH connection]   C --> D[Target System]   D --> E[rsync daemon]   E --> F[Target directory]   B --> G[Delta calculation]   G --> H[Transfer only changed blocks] 

In Context

• Typically used together with SSH, Cron and scripts for automated backups
• Related to: rdiff-backup, unison, tar, duplicity
• Example use case: Synchronization of web server contents between production and staging environments