Confused about rsync

[calgarychris]

Hi,

I've been reading and reading to try to figure out rsync, but I'm afraid I still don't have it. My situation is that I have a large photo collection on a DNS-323 with ffp installed, as well as a FreeNAS server that I want to use to back up the DNS. I'm confused on how to set up rsync to get this working between the two and the example in the docs is clear but written for two FreeNAS systems.

I guess I'm looking for confirmation that my understanding is correct:

1. I believe I want to use the FreeNAS system as the server and the other as the client
2. I don't need to set up an rsync task as I will do this on the non-FreeNAS system
3. I need to set the rsync module under Services->Rsync Modules->Add Rsync module
4. I need to turn on the service
5. I will need to somehow create a "task" on the client system using rsyncd.conf?
6. Presumably the name in 5 above will need to match the module name?
7. I set it to run via cron on the client system (no idea how to set that up)
8. I don't believe I need ssh as this is for a small home network, but I will limit access via the hosts allow option - any significant advantage to using ssh in this scenario?

Does the above make sense? Am I missing anything? Am I totally off the mark? I think it's the setup of the client system that I am most confused with (wish I could just get two FreeNAS systems!).

Any help or tips greatly appreciated

Cheers
Chris

 

[fracai]

Your method would work, I think, but there is an easier way.

1) enable SSH on the DNS (what is "ffp"? Did you mean FTP?)
2) get certificate-based logins working with SSH (this is the first tutorial I hit: http://www.linuxproblem.org/art_9.html )
3) set up a "pull" rsync task on FreeNAS

No services needed.
You're generally correct that you don't need SSH, but it does make things simpler to setup.

 

[calgarychris]

Sweet, thanks I'll take a look at that tutorial and see if that works. I started playing around with SSH using the FreeNAS guide, but ran into a permissions issue that I didn't understand. I'll see if this guide is clearer. One thing - if you set up a pull task on the FreeNAS box, you don't need to set anything up on the other box (meaning cron jobs or anything?)

ffp isn't FTP - it stands for fonz fun plug - a plugin that allows you to install a limited set of Linux packages on the DNS box...

Thanks

 

[fracai]

Right, pull shouldn't require any changes on the DNS, aside from the SSH config.