Overview

rsync is secure copy, it allows the secure transferring of files between the local host and the remote host or between two remote hosts. It can be used for large-size files or folders.

Syntax

rsync [options] [user@sender_host]:source_file_or_directory ... [user@receiver_host]:destination

Basic Usage

To download a file or folder from Sol to your local computer using scp, you would need to open a terminal or command line interface on your local computer:

$ rsync spock@sol.asu.edu:/path/to/file.txt /Desktop/some_folder
$ rsync -r spock@sol.asu.edu:/path/to/folder/ /Desktop/some_folder

If you know the IP address of your local computer or another server, you can also run the transfer process on Sol. We recommend using the Sol data transfer node (soldtn) for best performance:

$ ssh spock@sol.asu.edu
$ ssh soldtn
$ rsync /path/to/file.txt spock@another.server:/Desktop/some_folder
$ rsync -r /path/to/folder/ spock@another.server:/Desktop/some_folder

To upload a file or folder from your local computer to Sol, try these commands on your local computer:

$ rsync /Desktop/path/to/file.txt spock@sol.asu.edu:/home/spock/
$ rsync -r /Desktop/some_folder/ spock@sol.asu.edu:/home/spock/

Common Options

• -p: Preserves modification time, access time, and modes from the original file.

• -r, --recursive: Enables recursive downloading, allowing you to transfer entire directories.

Additional Help

If you require further assistance on this topic, please contact the Research Computing Team. To create a support ticket review our RTO Request Help page. For quick inquiries, reach out via our #rc-support Slack Channel or attend our office hours for live assistance.

We also offer a series of Educational Opportunities and Workshops.