Rsync Over SSH (Windows XP)

[henri]

Firstly, if this the wrong place to ask this question or if this
question is inappropriate then please accept my sincere apologies.

I am seeking advice regarding the backup of an Windows XP machine.

I have used rsync for years and believe it to be an absolutely amazing
tool on *NIX systems.

Recently, I was asked the following question, relating to the backup

<cut>I don't have any idea about how much time we need to get
LBackup to work on windows platform. Do you have any ideas?</cut>

http://lists.connect.homeunix.com/archives/lbackup-discussion/2009-March/000011.html

When it comes to the configuration of rsync over SSH on Windows XP I
am a complete newbie. Therefore, I am turning to the collective
experience of this mailing list in order to gain insight into whether
using rsync to transfer files from a Windows system (for backup) is
good practice?

In essence I would like to determine if rsync a good choice when it
comes to the backup of files on a Windows XP machine?

Suggestions such as the following will all be warmly welcomed :

(1) Do not run rsync over ssh, keep it simple.
(2) Do not use rsync on Windows XP.
(3) Try xyz commercial solution/service instead, it works great!
(4) Use xyz open source solution it is fantastic!
(4) It works but it is difficult, prepare your self for punishment.
(5) No problem, just follow these instructions you will be running in
1 day.
(6) It works, just make sure you install the xyz patch.
(7) Not enough information, it depends on various other factors.
...etc


I am aware that there is the popular "Cygwin" project which provides a
super simple way of installing both rsync and OpenSSH on Windows
systems.

Also, a quick search, turned up the following thread in the rsync mail

I have created a new version of my old rsync+ssh package for
windows. This is a really simple 3-file implementation, just rsync,
ssh, and the cygwin1.dll. You don't need the full cygwin
installation, nor the /usr, /bin, /home etc. file structure.

http://lists.samba.org/archive/rsync/2001-December/000973.html

In addition, there are countless software utilities and services
available (including commercial offerings) for backing up Windows
systems. In your opinion how do these other offerings stack up against
rsync, even if they use rsync or the rsync algorithm behind the scenes
to transfer files?

Again, if this is simply the wrong place to ask this question simply
let me know.

Thank you so much for your assistance with my query and for producing
such an amazing piece of software. Rsync v3 is just great!

[David Overton]

Hi Henri,

In essence I would like to determine if rsync a good choice when it comes to
the backup of files on a Windows XP machine?
(1) Do not run rsync over ssh, keep it simple.
(2) Do not use rsync on Windows XP.
(3) Try xyz commercial solution/service instead, it works great!
(4) Use xyz open source solution it is fantastic!
(4) It works but it is difficult, prepare your self for punishment.
(5) No problem, just follow these instructions you will be running in 1 day.
(6) It works, just make sure you install the xyz patch.
(7) Not enough information, it depends on various other factors.
 ...etc
I am aware that there is the popular "Cygwin" project which provides a super
simple way of installing both rsync and OpenSSH on Windows systems.

There's no "native" port of rsync on Windows so using the Cygwin
port is the way to go. If you don't want a full Cygwin installation
there is an excellent package called cwRsync which contains just what
you need at http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650. The same site provides
an OpenSSH package called CopSSH which is designed to work well with
cwRsync. Both packages come with Windows-style installers that set up
the SSH/rsync daemons as Windows services.

If you want a commercial backup solution, you might be interested in
BackupAssist (www.backupassist.com) which now supports backup via rsync
as well as other methods. (Disclaimer: I work for the company that
develops BackupAssist.) BackupAssist provides various pre-defined
schemes for regular scheduled backups with history. No need to fiddle
around with scripts and rsync options, just enter your server details,
select a scheme then select which files/directories you want to backup.
There's a 30 day free trial period if you want to try it out.

Other features:
- Supports rsync daemon, rsync over ssh, and rsync daemon via ssh tunnel
- Backup history uses hard links for files that haven't changed between
backups, similar to rsnapshot. (Our marketing department calls this
"single instance store".)
- Support for Volume Shadow Copy service (VSS) for Windows 2003 and
later (not XP unfortunately).

I hope this doesn't sound too much like an ad, but you did ask about
commercial solutions.

Cheers,

David

[Daniel.Li]

Post by David Overton
Hi Henri,

In essence I would like to determine if rsync a good choice when it comes to
the backup of files on a Windows XP machine?
(1) Do not run rsync over ssh, keep it simple.
(2) Do not use rsync on Windows XP.
(3) Try xyz commercial solution/service instead, it works great!
(4) Use xyz open source solution it is fantastic!
(4) It works but it is difficult, prepare your self for punishment.
(5) No problem, just follow these instructions you will be running in 1 day.
(6) It works, just make sure you install the xyz patch.
(7) Not enough information, it depends on various other factors.
...etc
I am aware that there is the popular "Cygwin" project which provides a super
simple way of installing both rsync and OpenSSH on Windows systems.

There's no "native" port of rsync on Windows so using the Cygwin
port is the way to go. If you don't want a full Cygwin installation
there is an excellent package called cwRsync which contains just what
you need at http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650. The same site provides
an OpenSSH package called CopSSH which is designed to work well with
cwRsync. Both packages come with Windows-style installers that set up
the SSH/rsync daemons as Windows services.
If you want a commercial backup solution, you might be interested in
BackupAssist (www.backupassist.com) which now supports backup via rsync
as well as other methods. (Disclaimer: I work for the company that
develops BackupAssist.) BackupAssist provides various pre-defined
schemes for regular scheduled backups with history. No need to fiddle
around with scripts and rsync options, just enter your server details,
select a scheme then select which files/directories you want to backup.
There's a 30 day free trial period if you want to try it out.
- Supports rsync daemon, rsync over ssh, and rsync daemon via ssh tunnel
- Backup history uses hard links for files that haven't changed between
backups, similar to rsnapshot. (Our marketing department calls this
"single instance store".)
- Support for Volume Shadow Copy service (VSS) for Windows 2003 and
later (not XP unfortunately).

Humm... Excellent software. But I don't have enough money to buy :)

Post by David Overton
I hope this doesn't sound too much like an ad, but you did ask about
commercial solutions.
Cheers,
David

[Michael Chletsos]

I have gone down the cygwin path and rsync and have gotten it to work
with ssh very reliably.

However, I recently replaced it with robocopy which is a native
windows app, it handles the permissions on files much better, since it
is not converted from nt-perms to cygwin-perms back to nt-perms, and
is just as easy to use - although different syntax.

Good luck.

Post by David Overton
Hi Henri,

In essence I would like to determine if rsync a good choice when it comes to
the backup of files on a Windows XP machine?
(1) Do not run rsync over ssh, keep it simple.
(2) Do not use rsync on Windows XP.
(3) Try xyz commercial solution/service instead, it works great!
(4) Use xyz open source solution it is fantastic!
(4) It works but it is difficult, prepare your self for punishment.
(5) No problem, just follow these instructions you will be running in 1 day.
(6) It works, just make sure you install the xyz patch.
(7) Not enough information, it depends on various other factors.
...etc
I am aware that there is the popular "Cygwin" project which provides a super
simple way of installing both rsync and OpenSSH on Windows systems.

There's no "native" port of rsync on Windows so using the Cygwin
port is the way to go. If you don't want a full Cygwin installation
there is an excellent package called cwRsync which contains just what
you need at http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650. The same site provides
an OpenSSH package called CopSSH which is designed to work well with
cwRsync. Both packages come with Windows-style installers that set up
the SSH/rsync daemons as Windows services.
If you want a commercial backup solution, you might be interested in
BackupAssist (www.backupassist.com) which now supports backup via rsync
as well as other methods. (Disclaimer: I work for the company that
develops BackupAssist.) BackupAssist provides various pre-defined
schemes for regular scheduled backups with history. No need to fiddle
around with scripts and rsync options, just enter your server details,
select a scheme then select which files/directories you want to backup.
There's a 30 day free trial period if you want to try it out.
- Supports rsync daemon, rsync over ssh, and rsync daemon via ssh tunnel
- Backup history uses hard links for files that haven't changed between
backups, similar to rsnapshot. (Our marketing department calls this
"single instance store".)
- Support for Volume Shadow Copy service (VSS) for Windows 2003 and
later (not XP unfortunately).
I hope this doesn't sound too much like an ad, but you did ask about
commercial solutions.
Cheers,
David
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[Harry Mangalam]

I'm using BackupPC on a Linux server to back up MacWinLin clients, all
using rsync (tho not over ssh). I use the cygwin rsync client, but
in setting it up, I did try DeltaCopy, which is a GPL'ed
Windows-native, GUI version of rsync:
<http://www.aboutmyip.com/AboutMyXApp/DeltaCopy.jsp>

I didn't use it due to other issues but it seemed to work OK. The
rsync experts here may have more to day about it.

YMMV
Best harry

Post by Michael Chletsos
I have gone down the cygwin path and rsync and have gotten it to
work with ssh very reliably.
However, I recently replaced it with robocopy which is a native
windows app, it handles the permissions on files much better, since
it is not converted from nt-perms to cygwin-perms back to nt-perms,
and is just as easy to use - although different syntax.
Good luck.
On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 6:41 AM, David Overton

Post by David Overton
Hi Henri,

Post by henri
In essence I would like to determine if rsync a good choice when
it comes to the backup of files on a Windows XP machine?
(1) Do not run rsync over ssh, keep it simple.
(2) Do not use rsync on Windows XP.
(3) Try xyz commercial solution/service instead, it works great!
(4) Use xyz open source solution it is fantastic!
(4) It works but it is difficult, prepare your self for
punishment. (5) No problem, just follow these instructions you
will be running in 1 day. (6) It works, just make sure you
install the xyz patch. (7) Not enough information, it depends on
various other factors. ...etc
I am aware that there is the popular "Cygwin" project which
provides a super simple way of installing both rsync and OpenSSH
on Windows systems.

There's no "native" port of rsync on Windows so using the Cygwin
port is the way to go. If you don't want a full Cygwin
installation there is an excellent package called cwRsync which
contains just what you need at
http://www.itefix.no/i2/node/10650. The same site provides an
OpenSSH package called CopSSH which is designed to work well with
cwRsync. Both packages come with Windows-style installers that
set up the SSH/rsync daemons as Windows services.
If you want a commercial backup solution, you might be interested
in BackupAssist (www.backupassist.com) which now supports backup
via rsync as well as other methods. (Disclaimer: I work for the
company that develops BackupAssist.) BackupAssist provides
various pre-defined schemes for regular scheduled backups with
history. No need to fiddle around with scripts and rsync
options, just enter your server details, select a scheme then
select which files/directories you want to backup. There's a 30
day free trial period if you want to try it out.
- Supports rsync daemon, rsync over ssh, and rsync daemon via ssh
tunnel - Backup history uses hard links for files that haven't
changed between backups, similar to rsnapshot. (Our marketing
department calls this "single instance store".)
- Support for Volume Shadow Copy service (VSS) for Windows 2003
and later (not XP unfortunately).
I hope this doesn't sound too much like an ad, but you did ask
about commercial solutions.
Cheers,
David
--
Please use reply-all for most replies to avoid omitting the
https://lists.samba.org/mailman/listinfo/rsync Before posting,
read: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html