Rsync -a doesn’t copy ext3 attributes

ext3rsync

I just stumbled upon the fact that rsync doesn't preserve at least the ext3 "immutable" flag – while it should do so when using -a, IMHO. Quick test case:

# touch testfile
# chattr +i testfile
# rsync -a testfile testfile2
# lsattr testfile*
----i---------- testfile
--------------- testfile2

The man page of rsync tells about the -a switch:

The files are transferred in "archive" mode, which ensures that symbolic links, devices, attributes, permissions, ownerships, etc. are preserved in the transfer.

Can somebody please shed some light on this: What's meant by "attributes" here if not the attributes of the underlying filesystem? If it really means something other: Is there a possibility to sync ext3 attributes as well?

Best Answer

Not going to happen with rsync.

Rsync does it's best to backup any filesystem type and make it look the same on another filesystem type. so chattr +i is pretty ext* specific so rsync ignores those.

Rsync is more worried about permissions and ownership of the file.

You'd have to create some wrapper script around rsync to do that job

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Ftp – How to use rsync over FTP

You don't. rsync can't do that for you, it is a protocol of its own and doesn't work over FTP.

You might, however, want to try csync. IIRC it provides rsync-like behaviour over HTTP. I can't comment on whether it works over FTP, you'll have to try it.

Linux – Copying a large directory tree locally? cp or rsync

I would use rsync as it means that if it is interrupted for any reason, then you can restart it easily with very little cost. And being rsync, it can even restart part way through a large file. As others mention, it can exclude files easily. The simplest way to preserve most things is to use the -a flag – ‘archive.’ So:

rsync -a source dest

Although UID/GID and symlinks are preserved by -a (see -lpgo), your question implies you might want a full copy of the filesystem information; and -a doesn't include hard-links, extended attributes, or ACLs (on Linux) or the above nor resource forks (on OS X.) Thus, for a robust copy of a filesystem, you'll need to include those flags:

rsync -aHAX source dest # Linux
rsync -aHE source dest  # OS X

The default cp will start again, though the -u flag will "copy only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing". And the -a (archive) flag will be recursive, not recopy files if you have to restart and preserve permissions. So:

cp -au source dest

Best Answer

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Ftp – How to use rsync over FTP

Linux – Copying a large directory tree locally? cp or rsync

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