Configuring rsync Daemon for Backup Server on CentOS

This guide demonstrates how to set up an rsync daemon on a backup server (IP 192.168.210.85) and configure a client (IP 192.168.210.177) to transfer files securely.

Install rsync

rpm -qa rsync rsync-3.1.2-10.el7.x86_64

Configure /etc/rsyncd.conf

# /etc/rsyncd: configuration file for rsync daemon mode # See rsyncd.conf man page for more options. uid = rsync gid = rsync use chroot = no max connections = 200 pid file = /var/run/rsyncd.pid fake super = yes timeout = 600 lock file = /var/run/rsync.lock log file = /var/log/rsyncd.log ignore errors read only = false list = false hosts allow = 192.168.210.0/24 hosts deny = 0.0.0.0/32 auth users = rsyncback secrets file = /etc/rsyncd.password [backup] path = /backup

Create rsync user and backup directory

useradd rsync -s /sbin/nologin -M

mkdir /backup

chown -R rsync:rsync /backup/

Set up authentication password file

echo "rsyncback:123456" > /etc/rsyncd.password

chmod 600 /etc/rsyncd.password

Verify the password file:

cat /etc/rsyncd.password

Result: rsyncback:123456

Start the rsync daemon

systemctl start rsyncd

Confirm it is listening on port 873:

netstat -nltp | grep :873

Client side operations

Prepare the same password file on the client:

echo "123456" > /etc/rsyncd.password

chmod 600 /etc/rsyncd.password

Push a file to the backup server (using password file)

rsync -avzP /root/case.sh [email protected]::backup --password-file=/etc/rsyncd.password

Output shows successful transfer of case.sh (140 bytes).

Push a file without specifying password file (will prompt)

rsync -avzP /root/case.sh [email protected]::backup

Result: 140 bytes transferred, speedup 2.00.

Pull a file from the backup server

rsync -avz [email protected]::backup /root/hell.py --password-file=/etc/rsyncd.password

The guide ends with a separator line indicating completion.