[BTSync] ELI5: BitTorrent Sync Source and Destination Folders??

[unyi3lding]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently trying to setup BitTorrent Sync on my NAS, and I've followed the tutorial step by step.
However, I do not understand what the concept of the "source" and "destination" folders when adding a dataset to the plugin. I'd really appreciate a "explain like I'm 5 years old" response to this.

Normally, on PC/Mobile setup process, it's simply selecting a folder you want synced, getting the share key/secret, and you're good to go. Only only folder to configure.

What is the function of each of the folders when setting BTSync up for FreeNAS? What is happening to the files? Where is the proper place to save files that I want transferred? Does the data get duplicated within the NAS itself before it gets shares/synced with other devices? What if I want to set up multiple folders to share with BTSync (independent from one another, ie completely different files shared with different devices)?

Thanks!

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Most of your questions are specific to BTSync and belong in their forum, but the basic question of 'the concept of the "source" and "destination" folders' is applicable to all FreeNAS jails, of which plugin jails are a subset. The process is described in the documentation, but the rationale might benefit from elaboration.

The idea is that when you create a jail, you end up with an entity that can't mess with the rest of the system, including the storage. The "Add Storage" process is a mechanism you can use to give a jail access to data that's visible to the rest of the system. In the case of BTSync, if you don't Add Storage to the plugin's jail, the plugin will work but the folders being synced will be inside the jail. That's not an issue until you decide for some reason to delete and reinstall the plugin. If the amount of data synced is small, no problem, just sync it again, but if re-syncing would be burdensome, you might want to have the plugin use storage that doesn't disappear when you delete the plugin. You would also need to use this mechanism if you wanted to make a folder that's already on your NAS available to other BTSync peers. Without it, the jail can't see that folder.

As another example, consider the Plex plugin. You need a way to get all the media onto the NAS, and the most elegant solution is to create a dataset and share it on your network. You can then give the Plex plugin's jail access to that dataset using the Add Storage procedure.

So finally, the "source" in that dialog is the folder relative to the root of all the storage on your NAS, and the "destination" is the folder as seen from inside the jail. If you know what it means to mount storage in *nix, you should be able to grasp this concept. Specifically, it has nothing to do with BTSync.