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To set up an rsync server simply install the rsync package then copy /usr/share/doc/rsync/sample-rsyncd.conf.gz to /etc/rsyncd.conf. Edit it to perhaps turn logging on:

log file=/var/log/rsyncd ... transfer logging = yes

Make sure that port 873 is allowed through your firewall. Add the following line to /etc/inetd.conf:

rsync stream tcp nowait root /usr/bin/rsync rsyncd --daemon

Then restart inetd by sending it a HUP.

The rsync server works with modules. Modules are defined in the configuration file. A list of modules is returned from an rsync server when the server is queried:

$ rsync datamining.csiro.au:: debianbook Graham's Debian GNU/Linux Survival Guide

For each module (debianbook in the above) you identify a it's configuration, including a path to where it lives, for example:

[debianbook] comment = Graham's Debian GNU/Linux Survival Guide path = /var/www/debian/book read only = yes list = yes uid = nobody gid = nogroup transfer logging = yes ...

To get a directory listing from an rsync server:

$ rsync datamining.csiro.au::debianbook/

To have your local server start up at boot time add the following to /etc/inetd.conf:

rsync stream tcp nowait root /usr/bin/rsync rsyncd --daemon

After editing the /etc/rsyncd.conf file be sure to send the process a HUP signal.