SYNCTHING
Back up and sync files quickly and easily
Nick Peers reveals how to back up and synchronise files over your local network and even further afield, enabling you to stay on top of your data.
Credit: https://syncthing.net
OUR EXPERT
Nick Peers has long used Syncthing – his vast media library is testament to its file-transfer capabilities.
T here are many good reasons for keeping multiple copies of files stored securely on different machines: backing content up is the obvious one, but it also offers the ability to quickly share files with others without having to jump through hoops such as uploading to cloud storage or emailing zipped files. The best tools are those that are unobtrusive. You spend a little time setting things up, of course, but once done they can largely be left to their own devices, working seamlessly in the background continually monitoring folders and uploading any changes without disruption to your workflow.
The best type of tool for this job is a continuous file synchronisation tool, and our favourite by far is
Syncthing
(https://syncthing.net). Read on to discover
what it does, why you should use it, and how to set it up and tweak its settings to perfection.
Tour the Syncthing web interface
1
Folder list
A list of all shared folders is displayed, complete with its current status, including file-sync progress.
2
View file transfers
Click ‘Xxxxx items, ~Xx GiB’ item to bring up a progress window for that shared folder.
3
Actions menu
Click here to access Syncthing’s settings, view its logs, plus shutdown or restart the tool.
4Device properties
Obtain an overview of your device’s current state, including how much data has been uploaded and downloaded.
5
Remote Devices
A list of all the devices you’ve shared folders with. Click Edit to share more folders.
6
Recent Changes
Click this button to see what files have most recently been uploaded or downloaded.
Key features
Why choose Syncthing? First, it’s easy to install, and is designed to be configured from a web-based interface for those unhappy at fiddling about with the command line. It utilises your existing network connections, so there’s no messing about with setting up shared folders or permissions, and it can be used to keep folders in sync with other devices both on your local network or remotely over the internet.
All data is encrypted using TLS and transferred using direct peer-to-peer connections (although relay servers are used to make initial connections – more on that later), so files go directly from folder to folder without touching any centralised cloud servers, and thanks to TLS’s perfect forward secrecy, eavesdroppers can’t listen in to steal your data.