Backup and Recovery Using Rsync

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Cloud
Security

Backup and Recovery Using Rsync

This hands-on lab is designed specifically to show how a free tool, `rsync`, can be used to perform backup and recovery operations from a local system to a remote one. Rsync derives its name from its main task: remote synchronization. It is commonly used as a backup or mirroring tool, but can also be used to sync files either remotely or locally. To view the man page for rsync, click [here](https://linux.die.net/man/1/rsync).

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Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Sep 25, 2025

Duration

45m

Challenge

Install Rsync
Install Rsync on both Server1 and Client1:
```
yum install rsync
```
Note: To use the above command without adding sudo, you will need to be the root user. If you do not elevate privileges to root, you will need to add sudo to the beginning of the command. Either way is fine.
Challenge

Create a Directory for Backup on Client1
Create a new directory called files4backup:
```
mkdir /home/cloud_user/files4backup
```
Challenge

Create Two Files in files4backup, tps_report1.txt and tps_report2.txt, Which Will Be Used to Verify That the Backup Was Successful Later On
Create two new text files, tps_report1.txt and tps_report2.txt:
```
touch /home/cloud_user/files4backup/tps_report1.txt
touch /home/cloud_user/files4backup/tps_report2.txt
```
Challenge

Using rsync, Copy the Files from Client1 to Server1
Run the following command:
```
rsync -avz /home/cloud_user/files4backup/ [email protected]:/home/cloud_user/files4backup/
```
You may be prompted for a password. If so, use the one provided on the lab page for cloud_user

Verify that the contents of the files4backup directory were copied from Client1 to Server1. This can be accomplished by logging into Server1 and running the following commands:
```
cd /home/cloud_user/files4backup
ls
```
The two files that we created in in the last step should be present.
Challenge

OPTIONAL - Modify tps_report1.txt and Verify That the Changes Are Carried over after Performing Another Copy to Server1
On Client1:

Open the tps_report1.txt file:
```
vim /home/cloud_user/files4backup/tps_report1.txt
```
Add some text to the file and save it, then perform another remote copy:
```
rsync -avz /home/cloud_user/files4backup/ [email protected]:/home/cloud_user/files4backup/
```
Back on Server1:

Open the tps_report1.txt file to verify that the changes were carried over:
```
vim tps_report1.txt
```
Challenge

Delete a File in the files4backup Directory on Client1 and Restore It from Server1
On Client1, remove tps_report2.txt:
```
rm /home/cloud_user/files4backup/tps_report2.txt
```
Verify that it's gone:
```
cd /home/cloud_user/files4backup/
ls
```
We should only see tps_report1.txt in there.

From Server1, run a remote copy of our files4backup directory back to Client1:
```
rsync -avz /home/cloud_user/files4backup/ [email protected]:/home/cloud_user/files4backup/
```
Back on Client1, verify that tps_report2.txt exists:
```
cd /home/cloud_user/files4backup
ls
```

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