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==Create Backups using rsync with examples==

===What does rsync stand for?===

Rsync stands for remote sync

Rsync is used to perfrom backup operation in Linux and UNIX

It syncs files from one location to another location, Host computer to a Remote computer or a Remote Computer to a Host computer.  It can even be used on a single server.

===Important Features of rsync===

* Speed: The first time you use rsync it does entire directory, next time it only sends what has been changed, which makes the transfer quick.

* Security: You can use ssh when using rsync between computers

* Less Bandwidth: rsync uses compression and decompression of data block by block at the sending an receiving end respectively.

===Basic rsync Syntax===
 rsync options source destination

Source and destination could be either local or remote. When using remote, just specify the login name and remote server name/location

===Examples===
 
====Local to Local====
Local rsync of your html directory to a backup directory on the local computer.
 rsync -zvr /var/www/html/ /root/backup

* -z is to enable compression
* -v is to enable verbose
* -r is to enable recursive, all directors below

====Local to Local Preserving Timestamps====

 rysnc -zvra /var/www/html/ /root/backup

* -a is to enable archive mode, saving timestamps

====Syncronize Files from Local Server to Remote Server====

 rsync -avzr /var/www/html/ brian@remoteserver:/backup/

This will make a backup of the html directory and all files under the html directory to remote backup server

====Syncronize Files from Remote Server to Local Server====

 rsync -avzr brian@remoteserver:/backup /var/www/html

This will do a restore from the backup server to your local server

====Example using SSH with rsync====

 rsync -avzr -e ssh brian@remoteserver:/backup /var/www/html
or
 rsync -avzr -e ssh /var/www/html brian@remoteserver:/backup

Use rsync -e ssh to specify which remote shell to use. In this case, rsync will use ssh.

To learn more about rsync you view the man page

 man rsync

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