rsync or unison?

[phunni]

I want to be able to keep my /home directory on my laptop and desktop synced so that they are, essentially, identical. I want to try and set it up so that whenever I log into either machine it tries to perform a sync with the other. If it can't, it'll fail gracefully and proceed to log me in, but if it can then, obviously, it will.

 

Having looked at various threads on this board (including one I started - I wish I could remember which tool I ended up using then!) loads of people are talknig about either rsync or unison.

 

So - what I want to know is: which should I use?

[ramfree17]

my experiences with unison was pretty frustrating. i found out that its an all or nothing deal and didnt get the time to figure out how to effect changes that keeps the transfers already made.

 

rsync might need some more configuration but i say go for it. the two-way synch might entail additional config but i know you will manage. :)

 

 

ciao!

[phunni]

Thanks for that ramfree.

 

No one else have any experience of either of these?

[jboy]

I use rsync, but not to sync the entire /home, just selected files and directories, using the -u option to update only if newer and -t to preserve timestamps. I think it works quite nicely. No experience with unison.

 

My favorite links for rsync:

 

Backups with rsync: http://rimuhosting.com/howto/rsync.jsp

automated backups with rsync: http://www.mikerubel.org/computers/rsync_snapshots/#Rsync

Use rsync to mirror data between 2 machines: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/answers/80

Using rsync: https://mandrivausers.org/index.php?showtopic=26540

Rsync over ssh: http://www.aerospacesoftware.com/rsync-ssh-howto.html

Edited August 12, 2005 by jboy

[Qchem]

Unison isn't too bad IMO, if it works for you it'll probably be the best solution.

[coverup]

Unison isn't too bad IMO, if it works for you it'll probably be the best solution.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been using unison on everyday basis for nearly three years. It never let me down. If you work with files on both machines, unison will give you a choice as to which way the changes are to be propagated, so you can decide what to do. I think it's a great feature. Also you can tweak it to sync files which are located in different dirs.

[ramfree17]

Unison isn't too bad IMO, if it works for you it'll probably be the best solution.

 

i was previously hoping for that because i was synchronizing huge files between our helsinki and manila sites. getting cutoff during the middle of the transfer was not an option but a probable occasion (vpn link was flaky).

 

ciao!