Operations 4 min read

How to Install and Configure rsync on Windows Server for Automated Backups

This guide walks through the required environment, Windows Server rsync installation, configuration of rsyncd.conf and password files, service startup, port verification, and client-side commands to achieve reliable, scheduled file synchronization between Windows machines.

Raymond Ops
Raymond Ops
Raymond Ops
How to Install and Configure rsync on Windows Server for Automated Backups

Environment

1. Sync target: test data

2. Server: Windows Server 2008 R2

3. Client: Windows 7 Ultimate 64‑bit

4. Server rsync version: cwRsyncServer_4.1.0_Installer.exe

5. Download links for rsync client and server: https://pan.baidu.com/s/1kHQSVEODxbtXpxxMnT1S2A (extraction code: 9q4m)

Server Installation Guide

Server Configuration

Directory Structure

Modify rsyncd.conf

<code>use chroot = false
strict modes = false
uid = 0 # 0代表不限定用户
gid = 0
logfile = rsyncd.log
[testwin]
path = /cygdrive/d/u01/nc_backup/ # Windows backup directory needs /cygdrive prefix
ignoreerrors
readonly = false
transfer logging = yes
auth users = test_rsync # rsync virtual user
secrets file = etc/rsyncd.password # password file path
hostsallow = * # all hosts can access</code>

Create password file

In the

etc

directory, create

rsync.password

with the content:

<code>test_rsync:test4321</code>

Start the service and verify the port

Client Synchronization

Run the following command from the client’s

bin

directory (or add it to the PATH):

<code>rsync.exe -avz --password-file=rsync.password [email protected]::testwin /cygdrive/f/testwin_rsyncdir</code>

Server data view

Client data after synchronization

Automate with a scheduled task

Configure a Windows scheduled task to run the rsync command periodically, achieving automatic backup to the target machine.

automationoperationsWindows ServerBackupSystem Administrationrsync
Raymond Ops
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Raymond Ops

Linux ops automation, cloud-native, Kubernetes, SRE, DevOps, Python, Golang and related tech discussions.

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