-mailto(rsync-bugs@samba.anu.edu.au)
-manpage(rsyncd.conf)(5)(13 May 1998)()()
+mailto(rsync-bugs@samba.org)
+manpage(rsyncd.conf)(5)(1 Jan 2004)()()
manpagename(rsyncd.conf)(configuration file for rsync server)
manpagesynopsis()
manpagedescription()
The rsyncd.conf file is the runtime configuration file for rsync when
-run with the --daemon option. When run in this way rsync becomes a
-rsync server listening on TCP port 873. Connections from rsync clients
-are accepted for either anonymous or authenticated rsync sessions.
+run as an rsync server.
The rsyncd.conf file controls authentication, access, logging and
available modules.
manpagesection(LAUNCHING THE RSYNC DAEMON)
The rsync daemon is launched by specifying the --daemon option to
-rsync. The daemon must run with root privileges.
+rsync.
-You can launch it either via inetd or as a standalone daemon. If run
-as a daemon then just run the command "rsync --daemon" from a suitable
-startup script.
+The daemon must run with root privileges if you wish to use chroot, to
+bind to a port numbered under 1024 (as is the default 873), or to set
+file ownership. Otherwise, it must just have permission to read and
+write the appropriate data, log, and lock files.
+
+You can launch it either via inetd, as a stand-alone daemon, or from
+an rsync client via a remote shell. If run as a stand-alone daemon then
+just run the command "rsync --daemon" from a suitable startup script.
+If run from an rsync client via a remote shell (by specifying both the
+"-e/--rsh" option and server mode with "::" or "rsync://"), the --daemon
+option is automatically passed to the remote side.
When run via inetd you should add a line like this to /etc/services:
quote(rsync stream tcp nowait root /usr/bin/rsync rsyncd --daemon)
-You will then need to send inetd a HUP signal to tell it to reread its
-config file.
+Replace "/usr/bin/rsync" with the path to where you have rsync installed on
+your system. You will then need to send inetd a HUP signal to tell it to
+reread its config file.
Note that you should not send the rsync server a HUP signal to force
-it to reread the tt(/etc/rsyncd.conf). The file is re-read on each client
+it to reread the tt(rsyncd.conf) file. The file is re-read on each client
connection.
manpagesection(GLOBAL OPTIONS)
usually contains site information and any legal notices. The default
is no motd file.
-dit(bf(max connections)) The "max connections" option allows you to
-specify the maximum number of simultaneous connections you will allow
-to your rsync server. Any clients connecting when the maximum has
-been reached will receive a message telling them to try later.
-The default is 0 which means no limit.
+dit(bf(log file)) The "log file" option tells the rsync daemon to log
+messages to that file rather than using syslog. This is particularly
+useful on systems (such as AIX) where syslog() doesn't work for
+chrooted programs.
-dit(bf(lock file)) The "lock file" option specifies the file to use to
-support the "max connections" option. The rsync server uses record
-locking on this file to ensure that the max connections limit is not
-exceeded. The default is tt(/var/run/rsyncd.lock).
+dit(bf(pid file)) The "pid file" option tells the rsync daemon to write
+its process ID to that file.
dit(bf(syslog facility)) The "syslog facility" option allows you to
specify the syslog facility name to use when logging messages from the
of available modules. The default is no comment.
dit(bf(path)) The "path" option specifies the directory in the servers
-filesystem to make available in this module. The rsync server will
-chroot to this path before starting the file transfer with the
-client. You must specify this option for each module in tt(/etc/rsyncd.conf).
+filesystem to make available in this module. You must specify this option
+for each module in tt(rsyncd.conf).
+
+dit(bf(use chroot)) If "use chroot" is true, the rsync server will chroot
+to the "path" before starting the file transfer with the client. This has
+the advantage of extra protection against possible implementation security
+holes, but it has the disadvantages of requiring super-user privileges,
+of not being able to follow symbolic links outside of the new root path
+when reading, and of complicating the preservation of usernames and groups
+(see below). When "use chroot" is false, for security reasons,
+symlinks may only be relative paths pointing to other files within the root
+path, and leading slashes are removed from absolute paths. The default for
+"use chroot" is true.
+
+In order to preserve usernames and groupnames, rsync needs to be able to
+use the standard library functions for looking up names and IDs (i.e.
+getpwuid(), getgrgid(), getpwname(), and getgrnam()). This means a
+process in the chroot namespace will need to have access to the resources
+used by these library functions (traditionally /etc/passwd and
+/etc/group). If these resources are not available, rsync will only be
+able to copy the IDs, just as if the --numeric-ids option had been
+specified.
+
+Note that you are free to setup user/group information in the chroot area
+differently from your normal system. For example, you could abbreviate
+the list of users and groups. Also, you can protect this information
+from being downloaded by adding an exclude rule to the rsync.conf file
+(e.g. "exclude = /etc/"). To protect it from being changed by an upload
+(if the module is not read only), be sure to set the permissions (or
+owner) on the files and/or parent directories so that they cannot be
+written by the daemon.
+
+dit(bf(max connections)) The "max connections" option allows you to
+specify the maximum number of simultaneous connections you will allow.
+Any clients connecting when the maximum has been reached will receive a
+message telling them to try later. The default is 0 which means no limit.
+See also the "lock file" option.
+
+dit(bf(lock file)) The "lock file" option specifies the file to use to
+support the "max connections" option. The rsync server uses record
+locking on this file to ensure that the max connections limit is not
+exceeded for the modules sharing the lock file.
+The default is tt(/var/run/rsyncd.lock).
dit(bf(read only)) The "read only" option determines whether clients
will be able to upload files or not. If "read only" is true then any
setting this to false you can create hidden modules. The default is
for modules to be listable.
-dit(bf(uid)) The "uid" option specifies the user name or user id that
-file transfers to and from that module should take place as. In
-combination with the "gid" option this determines what file
-permissions are available. The default is the user "nobody".
+dit(bf(uid)) The "uid" option specifies the user name or user ID that
+file transfers to and from that module should take place as when the daemon
+was run as root. In combination with the "gid" option this determines what
+file permissions are available. The default is uid -2, which is normally
+the user "nobody".
-dit(bf(gid)) The "gid" option specifies the group name or group id that
-file transfers to and from that module should take place as. This
-complements the "uid" option. The default is the group "nobody".
+dit(bf(gid)) The "gid" option specifies the group name or group ID that
+file transfers to and from that module should take place as when the daemon
+was run as root. This complements the "uid" option. The default is gid -2,
+which is normally the group "nobody".
dit(bf(exclude)) The "exclude" option allows you to specify a space
-separated list of patterns to add to the exclude list. This is
-equivalent to the client specifying these patterns with the --exclude
-option. Note that this option is not designed with strong security in
+separated list of patterns to add to the exclude list.
+This is only superficially equivalent
+to the client specifying these patterns with the --exclude option.
+Only one "exclude" option may be specified, but
+you can use "-" and "+" before patterns to specify exclude/include.
+
+Because this exclude list is not passed to the client it only applies on
+the server: that is, it excludes files received by a client when receiving
+from a server and files deleted on a server when sending to a server, but
+it doesn't exclude files sent from a client when sending to a server or
+files deleted on a client when receiving from a server.
+
+Note that this option is not designed with strong security in
mind, it is quite possible that a client may find a way to bypass this
exclude list. If you want to absolutely ensure that certain files
cannot be accessed then use the uid/gid options in combination with
file permissions.
dit(bf(exclude from)) The "exclude from" option specifies a filename
-on the server that contains exclude patterns, one per line. This is
-equivalent to the client specifying the --exclude-from option with a
-equivalent file. See also the note about security for the exclude
-option above.
-
-dit(bf(auth users)) The "auth users" option specifies a comma
-and space separated list of usernames that will be allowed to connect
-to this module. The usernames do not need to exist on the local
-system. If "auth users" is set then the client will be challenged to
-supply a username and password to connect to the module. A challenge
-response authentication protocol is used for this exchange. The plain
-text usernames are passwords are stored in the file specified by the
+on the server that contains exclude patterns, one per line.
+This is only superficially equivalent
+to the client specifying the --exclude-from option with an equivalent file.
+See the "exclude" option above.
+
+dit(bf(include)) The "include" option allows you to specify a space
+separated list of patterns which rsync should not exclude. This is
+only superficially equivalent to the client specifying these patterns
+with the --include option because it applies only on the server.
+This is useful as it
+allows you to build up quite complex exclude/include rules. Only one
+"include" option may be specified, but you can use "+" and "-" before
+patterns to switch include/exclude. See the "exclude" option above.
+
+dit(bf(include from)) The "include from" option specifies a filename
+on the server that contains include patterns, one per line. This is
+only superficially equivalent to the client specifying the
+--include-from option with a equivalent file.
+See the "exclude" option above.
+
+dit(bf(auth users)) The "auth users" option specifies a comma and
+space separated list of usernames that will be allowed to connect to
+this module. The usernames do not need to exist on the local
+system. The usernames may also contain shell wildcard characters. If
+"auth users" is set then the client will be challenged to supply a
+username and password to connect to the module. A challenge response
+authentication protocol is used for this exchange. The plain text
+usernames are passwords are stored in the file specified by the
"secrets file" option. The default is for all users to be able to
connect without a password (this is called "anonymous rsync").
+See also the bf(CONNECTING TO AN RSYNC SERVER OVER A REMOTE SHELL
+PROGRAM) section in rsync(1) for information on how handle an
+rsyncd.conf-level username that differs from the remote-shell-level
+username when using a remote shell to connect to an rsync server.
+
dit(bf(secrets file)) The "secrets file" option specifies the name of
a file that contains the username:password pairs used for
authenticating this module. This file is only consulted if the "auth
limit the length of passwords that can be typed at the client end, so
you may find that passwords longer than 8 characters don't work.
-bf(You should make sure that the secrets file is not readable by anyone
-other than the system administrator.) There is no default for the
-"secrets file" option, you must choose a name (such as
-tt(/etc/rsyncd.secrets)).
+There is no default for the "secrets file" option, you must choose a name
+(such as tt(/etc/rsyncd.secrets)). The file must normally not be readable
+by "other"; see "strict modes".
+
+dit(bf(strict modes)) The "strict modes" option determines whether or not
+the permissions on the secrets file will be checked. If "strict modes" is
+true, then the secrets file must not be readable by any user ID other
+than the one that the rsync daemon is running under. If "strict modes" is
+false, the check is not performed. The default is true. This option
+was added to accommodate rsync running on the Windows operating system.
dit(bf(hosts allow)) The "hosts allow" option allows you to specify a
list of patterns that are matched against a connecting clients
Each pattern can be in one of five forms:
itemize(
- it() a dotted decimal IP address. In this case the incoming machines
- IP address must match exactly.
+ it() a dotted decimal IPv4 address of the form a.b.c.d, or an IPv6 address
+ of the form a:b:c::d:e:f. In this case the incoming machine's IP address
+ must match exactly.
- it() a address/mask in the form a.b.c.d/n were n is the number of
- one bits in in the netmask. All IP addresses which match the masked
- IP address will be allowed in.
+ it() an address/mask in the form ipaddr/n where ipaddr is the IP address
+ and n is the number of one bits in the netmask. All IP addresses which
+ match the masked IP address will be allowed in.
- it() a address/mask in the form a.b.c.d/e.f.g.h where e.f.g.h is a
- netmask in dotted decimal notation. All IP addresses which match the masked
- IP address will be allowed in.
+ it() an address/mask in the form ipaddr/maskaddr where ipaddr is the
+ IP address and maskaddr is the netmask in dotted decimal notation for IPv4,
+ or similar for IPv6, e.g. ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:: instead of /64. All IP
+ addresses which match the masked IP address will be allowed in.
it() a hostname. The hostname as determined by a reverse lookup will
be matched (case insensitive) against the pattern. Only an exact
then the client is allowed in.
)
+Note IPv6 link-local addresses can have a scope in the address specification:
+
+quote(fe80::1%link1)
+quote(fe80::%link1/64)
+quote(fe80::%link1/ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff::)
+
You can also combine "hosts allow" with a separate "hosts deny"
option. If both options are specified then the "hosts allow" option s
checked first and a match results in the client being able to
The default is no "hosts allow" option, which means all hosts can connect.
-dit(bf(hosts allow)) The "hosts deny" option allows you to specify a
+dit(bf(hosts deny)) The "hosts deny" option allows you to specify a
list of patterns that are matched against a connecting clients
hostname and IP address. If the pattern matches then the connection is
rejected. See the "hosts allow" option for more information.
The default is no "hosts deny" option, which means all hosts can connect.
+dit(bf(ignore errors)) The "ignore errors" option tells rsyncd to
+ignore I/O errors on the server when deciding whether to run the delete
+phase of the transfer. Normally rsync skips the --delete step if any
+I/O errors have occurred in order to prevent disasterous deletion due
+to a temporary resource shortage or other I/O error. In some cases this
+test is counter productive so you can use this option to turn off this
+behaviour.
+
+dit(bf(ignore nonreadable)) This tells the rsync server to completely
+ignore files that are not readable by the user. This is useful for
+public archives that may have some non-readable files among the
+directories, and the sysadmin doesn't want those files to be seen at all.
+
+dit(bf(transfer logging)) The "transfer logging" option enables per-file
+logging of downloads and uploads in a format somewhat similar to that
+used by ftp daemons. If you want to customize the log formats look at
+the log format option.
+
+dit(bf(log format)) The "log format" option allows you to specify the
+format used for logging file transfers when transfer logging is
+enabled. The format is a text string containing embedded single
+character escape sequences prefixed with a percent (%) character.
+
+The prefixes that are understood are:
+
+itemize(
+ it() %h for the remote host name
+ it() %a for the remote IP address
+ it() %l for the length of the file in bytes
+ it() %p for the process ID of this rsync session
+ it() %o for the operation, which is either "send" or "recv"
+ it() %f for the filename
+ it() %P for the module path
+ it() %m for the module name
+ it() %t for the current date time
+ it() %u for the authenticated username (or the null string)
+ it() %b for the number of bytes actually transferred
+ it() %c when sending files this gives the number of checksum bytes
+ received for this file
+)
+
+The default log format is "%o %h [%a] %m (%u) %f %l", and a "%t [%p] "
+is always added to the beginning when using the "log file" option.
+
+A perl script called rsyncstats to summarize this format is included
+in the rsync source code distribution.
+
+dit(bf(timeout)) The "timeout" option allows you to override the
+clients choice for I/O timeout for this module. Using this option you
+can ensure that rsync won't wait on a dead client forever. The timeout
+is specified in seconds. A value of zero means no timeout and is the
+default. A good choice for anonymous rsync servers may be 600 (giving
+a 10 minute timeout).
+
+dit(bf(refuse options)) The "refuse options" option allows you to
+specify a space separated list of rsync command line options that will
+be refused by your rsync server. The full names of the options must be
+used (i.e., you must use "checksum" not "c" to disable checksumming).
+When an option is refused, the server prints an error message and exits.
+To prevent all compression, you can use "dont compress = *" (see below)
+instead of "refuse options = compress" to avoid returning an error to a
+client that requests compression.
+
+dit(bf(dont compress)) The "dont compress" option allows you to select
+filenames based on wildcard patterns that should not be compressed
+during transfer. Compression is expensive in terms of CPU usage so it
+is usually good to not try to compress files that won't compress well,
+such as already compressed files.
+
+The "dont compress" option takes a space separated list of
+case-insensitive wildcard patterns. Any source filename matching one
+of the patterns will not be compressed during transfer.
+
+The default setting is verb(*.gz *.tgz *.zip *.z *.rpm *.deb *.iso *.bz2 *.tbz)
+
enddit()
manpagesection(AUTHENTICATION STRENGTH)
The authentication protocol used in rsync is a 128 bit MD4 based
challenge response system. Although I believe that no one has ever
demonstrated a brute-force break of this sort of system you should
-realise that this is not a "military strength" authentication system.
+realize that this is not a "military strength" authentication system.
It should be good enough for most purposes but if you want really top
quality security then I recommend that you run rsync over ssh.
Also note that the rsync server protocol does not currently provide any
-encryption of the data that is transferred over the link. Only
+encryption of the data that is transferred over the connection. Only
authentication is provided. Use ssh as the transport if you want
encryption.
Future versions of rsync may support SSL for better authentication and
encryption, but that is still being investigated.
+manpagesection(RUNNING AN RSYNC SERVER OVER A REMOTE SHELL PROGRAM)
+
+If rsync is run with both the --daemon and --rsh (-e) options, it will
+spawn an rsync daemon using a remote shell connection. Several
+configuration options will not be available unless the remote user is
+root (e.g. chroot, setuid/setgid, etc.). There is no need to configure
+inetd or the services map to include the rsync server port if you run an
+rsync server only via a remote shell program.
+
+ADVANCED: To run an rsync server out of a single-use ssh key, use the
+"command=em(COMMAND)" syntax in the remote user's authorized_keys entry,
+where command would be
+
+quote(rsync --server --daemon .)
+
+NOTE: rsync's argument parsing expects the trailing ".", so make sure
+that it's there. If you want to use an rsyncd.conf(5)-style
+configuration file other than the default, you can added a
+--config option to the em(command):
+
+quote(rsync --server --daemon --config=em(file) .)
+
+Note that the "--server" here is the internal option that rsync uses to
+run the remote version of rsync that it communicates with, and thus you
+should not be using the --server option under normal circumstances.
+
manpagesection(EXAMPLES)
A simple rsyncd.conf file that allow anonymous rsync to a ftp area at
uid = nobody nl()
gid = nobody nl()
+use chroot = no nl()
max connections = 4 nl()
syslog facility = local5 nl()
+pid file = /var/run/rsyncd.pid
verb([ftp]
path = /var/ftp/pub
manpagefiles()
-/etc/rsyncd.conf
+/etc/rsyncd.conf or rsyncd.conf
manpageseealso()
failed. The error will have been logged by syslog on the server.
Please report bugs! The rsync bug tracking system is online at
-url(http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/)(http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/)
+url(http://rsync.samba.org/)(http://rsync.samba.org/)
manpagesection(VERSION)
-This man page is current for version 2.0 of rsync
+This man page is current for version 2.x of rsync.
manpagesection(CREDITS)
COPYING for details.
The primary ftp site for rsync is
-url(ftp://samba.anu.edu.au/pub/rsync)(ftp://samba.anu.edu.au/pub/rsync).
+url(ftp://rsync.samba.org/pub/rsync)(ftp://rsync.samba.org/pub/rsync).
A WEB site is available at
-url(http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/)(http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/)
+url(http://rsync.samba.org/)(http://rsync.samba.org/)
We would be delighted to hear from you if you like this program.
manpageauthor()
rsync was written by Andrew Tridgell and Paul Mackerras. They may be
-contacted via email at tridge@samba.anu.edu.au and
+contacted via email at tridge@samba.org and
Paul.Mackerras@cs.anu.edu.au
Matt McCutchen's Web Site / rsync / rsync.git / blobdiff