Knowledge Center

Rsync

You can allow other users to back up data via rsync from a Synology NAS or rsync-compatible clients to your Synology NAS.

Enabling rsync Backup Service

To enable rsync service:

Go to Control Panel > File Services > rsync, and tick Enable rsync service.

To assign rsync backup privileges:

Assign proper rsync privileges to users so that these users can back up data from a source Synology NAS or an rsync-compatible server to the destination Synology NAS.

  1. Go to Control Panel > Application Privileges.
  2. Select rsync (Shared Folder Sync, LUN Backup on supported models) and click Edit.
  3. Tick Allow for the desired users. You can further specify the allowed IP addresses for specific users.

Note:

  • To use rsync service, DSM users are required to use encrypted transfer. Rsync accounts can only use unencrypted transfer.
  • To perform rsync backup from Synology NAS or other client devices while retaining the source data's owner and group information, make sure to do the following in the daemon mode:
    • Add the rsync accounts to the administrators group.
    • Back up data to the NetBackup shared folder.

Enabling rsync Accounts

To perform rsync backup from a non-Synology NAS client, you must create rsync accounts on the destination Synology NAS first.

To enable rsync accounts:

  1. Go to Control Panel > File Services > rsync, and tick Enable rsync account.
  2. Click Edit rsync Account > Add to configure users and corresponding passwords for authentication.
  3. Click OK.

Note:

  • Please keep in mind that creating rsync accounts for external users may lower the security level of your Synology NAS.
  • If the rsync service is encrypted (i.e., using a specified SSH encryption port), the system will directly apply DSM users' usernames and passwords as their rsync accounts.
  • If the rsync service is unencrypted, you need to create corresponding rsync accounts for the users.

Using Customized rsync Configuration

You can customize rsync configuration by assigning specific user privileges and backup destination on your Synology NAS. Other people can therefore perform rsync backup from their Synology NAS devices or rsync-compatible clients to the destination shared folders (or "backup modules") on your Synology NAS.

To use customized rsync configuration:

  1. Sign in to your Synology NAS device via Telnet or SSH.
  2. Specify the backup module and authorized users in the rsync configuration file "/etc/rsyncd.conf". For detailed information, refer to the manual page of rsyncd.conf on your rsync client or this page.

Note:

  • If the backup module and the shared folder have the same name, the settings of the backup module will be applied.

Enabling Speed Limit

You can control the maximum usable bandwidth of rsync backup for users and groups.

To enable speed limit:

  1. Go to Control Panel > File Services > rsync. Select one of the following:
    • No speed limit
    • Enable speed limit
    • Enable speed limit according to a schedule. Click Set Schedule to configure the schedule.

    Note:

    • This is a server-wide setting and will override the settings of individual users and groups. For example, choosing No speed limit removes the speed limit settings of all users and groups when using rsync.
  2. If you have enabled speed limit, click Speed Limit Settings, and click the desired user/group to modify the settings:
    • None: No speed limit will be applied when group members transfer files with the service.
    • Apply group settings: The user will share the same speed limit settings with the affiliated group.
    • Set up speed cap: A fixed, constant speed limit will be applied to the user or group members. Upload and download speed limits can be specified in the fields to the left.
    • Advanced settings: Two different speed limits can be specified and applied to the user or group members according to a schedule. Click Advanced Settings to modify the speed limit settings and set a schedule.
  3. Click Save.

Note:

  • The Result (UL/DL) section displays the user's actual upload and download limit according to their individual and group settings. For example, if a user "Achilles" has an individual download limit of 100 KB/s, but belongs to a user group with a download limit of 500 KB/s, then the Result (UL/DL) section will display "0/500".
Enabling rsync Backup Service
Enabling rsync Accounts
Using Customized rsync Configuration
Enabling Speed Limit