Configuring an Rsync server

Rsync is a fast and efficient file transfer protocol that uses delta-transfer algorithm to minimize data transfer. It is ideal for deployments where you want to optimize bandwidth usage and transfer speed.

Note: Rsync is currently a beta feature. To enable it for your account, please contact support.

Requirements

Rsync servers require SSH key authentication. Password-based authentication is not supported with the Rsync protocol.

Configuration

Enter the hostname of your server, then enter the port your server is listening on. If you haven't changed this, the default port 22 will be used automatically.

Enter your username for the server. Since Rsync requires SSH key authentication, you will need to add your project's public key to the server.

SSH Key Setup

You can find the appropriate public key to add to the authorized_keys file on your server by clicking the link shown in the server configuration page.

Once you've copied the key, login to your server as the same user that you're configuring in DeployHQ. The easiest way to do this is via a terminal.

Once you've logged in, you can run the following commands:

cd ~/.ssh/
nano authorized_keys

Then, paste the key into the file as a new line, with no trailing spaces. Then, press Ctrl+X, then y, then hit enter to save your key.

Advanced Features

Rsync servers support all advanced deployment features including:

• Zero downtime deployments (atomic deployments)
• Accelerated transfers (turbo deployments)
• Unlink before upload option
• SSH commands and build commands

When to Use Rsync

Rsync is particularly useful when:

• You need efficient bandwidth usage for large deployments
• You want faster transfer speeds for incremental changes
• You are deploying to hosting providers that have SFTP restrictions (such as WP Engine)
• You need zero downtime deployments on platforms with limited SFTP support

For more information about using Rsync for zero downtime deployments on WP Engine, see Zero downtime deployments on WP Engine.