FreeFileSync on NAS

Posts: 17 · whalehead99 18 Jul 2024, 16:50

I am very interested in installing FreeFileSync on my NAS in a docker container. I want to be able to 'sync' all my files from the 'hostNAS' to a 'backupNAS' on the same network. How did you solve mounting a UNC path including the credentials? I assume I can install the Linux version on a linux docker container? I don't have a lot of docker/linux experience, but I am learning - I have about 9 docker containers that are running well - and a few (many) more I'm struggling with :). I current have my desktop run freefilesync.batch files and the desktop takes care of running these. I'd prefer to do this entirely on the NAS's and remove this burden from my desktop. Thoughts? Help? Thanks!

Posts: 37 · John1234 22 Jul 2024, 17:04

There is a very good open source command line utility specifically designed for synchronizing files and it will sync files between your two servers. Unfortunately the person who runs this forum doesn't like anybody talking about it. He deletes accounts and posts that mention it.

Anyone who mentions a program that is capable of synchronizing files gets punished by the person who runs this forum.

It's not a program that replaces free file sync in any way but it pisses him off anyway.

Search the internet for a command line utility that begins with the letter r.

Posts: 4056 · xCSxXenon 22 Jul 2024, 19:08

I would assume Linux containers can install applications just like full OS's? So just install it as normal

rsync is what the other reply is mentioning, but it's command line only. It is mentioned here plenty:
search.php?keywords=rsync

Posts: 309 · bgstack15 22 Jul 2024, 20:07

rsync is good for the cli users who like to read man pages. FreeFileSync works better for regular desktop users. They definitely do not use the same configuration files/settings/options, so depending on the complexity of your FreeFileSync config, you might not find rsync suitable. If all you do is an extremely basic this dir<-->that dir, that would be the easiest case to switch applications.

That being said, rsync depends on access from host1 running rsync, to host2. Ideally you have rsync installed on both places, but you can do it without that. It can use ssh to access host2. If you do everything as locally-mounted filesystems, then you don't need rsync installed on both places.

If you are comfortable with your NAS mounting up your desktop (host2)'s filesystem as a local SMB mount, there's a million guides out there for how to do that. If your desktop ever spends time offline/off/reboots randomly (at Microsoft's whim or otherwise), you might want your desktop to retain control of the sync process though.

Posts: 37 · John1234 22 Jul 2024, 20:26

RSync is not the program I was referring to. I was referring to a different program that is an open source project and it only needs to be installed on one machine and it can synchronize files back and forth between that machine and another machine and it runs on Windows Linux and Mac and can be easily run from a batch file or script.

It also has a companion graphical user interface and both programs are included with the default repository of Debian, Ubuntu, mint,etc.

rc####.org

Posts: 2451 · Plerry 23 Jul 2024, 07:44

... Unfortunately the person who runs this forum doesn't like anybody talking about it. He deletes accounts and posts that mention it.
Anyone who mentions a program that is capable of synchronizing files gets punished by the person who runs this forum. ...John1234, 22 Jul 2024, 17:04

In defence of Zenju (the person who runs this forum):
This is the FreeFileSync forum (as per the page heading "The official discussion platform for FreeFileSync"). It is set up, maintained and (if applicable) paid for by Zenju in support of the generally well appreciated software tools FFS and RTS he wrote, maintains and keeps updating.
This is NOT a forum about any other synchronization tools or on synchronization software in general.

So, in my view, bashing Zenju is fully unjustified.

Posts: 7211 · Zenju 23 Jul 2024, 08:04

Anyone who mentions a program that is capable of synchronizing files gets punished by the person who runs this forum. ...John1234, 22 Jul 2024, 17:04

What a peculiar phrasing. Sounds like this is something that happened to you already.

This is NOT a forum about any other synchronization tools or on synchronization software in general. Plerry, 23 Jul 2024, 07:44

This.

Posts: 17 · whalehead99 26 Jul 2024, 04:55

RSync does not copy files in readable format from one device to another. I'm using it now to 'backup' one share on my primary NAS, to my backup NAS. The Share appears on the backup NAS, but these are not readable files - the files are broken down into blocks with indicies, across multiple folders, etc. It is basically no different than any other backup program where you MUST use the backup software to do a restore. FreeFileSync, on the other hand, simply copies the file - and I can easily peruse the backup NAS and find what I'm looking for and retrieve it. This is why I'd like to get FreeFileSync to run on my NAS in a docker container... first and foremost, by not dragging every file through my desktop, I cut down on network traffic by 50% :) - not to mention my Mac gets pretty choppy when FreeFileSync is chugging away.