Synchronization

With Connect transfer accounts for IBM Aspera High-Speed Transfer Server, IBM Aspera on Cloud, and IBM Aspera Shares, you can set up Connect to sync folders automatically on your client computer and the server whenever the folder's content changes in either location.

Content changes include
  • Modification of file contents.
  • Changes in file and folder names.
  • Creation and deletion of files and folders.

Sync direction

When you set up sync, you must choose the direction of synchronization. Connect can be configured for the following direction settings:
  • Remote to Local

    This is the default setting. In this configuration, the remote computer (usually a server) retains the primary version of the files. The latest content is copied from the server to users' workstations.

  • Local to Remote

    In this configuration, the user's version of the content is assumed to be the primary version, and is copied to a central server. Typically, this setting is employed when users update content frequently.

  • Two-Way

    In a two-way, or bidirectional, sync relationship, changes in each location are copied to the other location. With this type of sync, the contents of both remote and local are identical after the sync has completed.

    Note: When you have two-way sync that is configured, Connect runs these transfers by using the lowest nonzero bandwidth limit that you have set for automatic transfers. For more information about setting bandwidth limits for automatic transfers, see Manual versus automatic transfers.

    If no bandwidth limit is set, Connect runs two-way sync transfers at the maximum rate that the server and network conditions allow.

Avoiding Sync conflicts

To avoid unexpected results, understand what each sync direction setting means and choose carefully. For example, consider the following scenario:

The system is configured for remote-to-local sync. When the scheduled automatic sync occurs, the latest content is copied from the remote computer to the user's local desktop. A local user then creates a new file. The next automatic sync occurs, but this new file still exists only on the user's computer. This is the expected behavior in remote-to-local sync. In this scenario, the content on the destination is not necessarily identical to that on the source.

Initial synchronization

When you first set up a sync relationship between two computers, the system starts its initial transfer of content from the source location to the destination (or target) location. Depending on the size of the content, this can be a large operation.

Then, when the system performs the next automatic sync, any changes at the source location are copied to the target.

Automatic Sync versus Reset Sync

Automatic Sync

After the initial transfer, synchronization between the transfer server and client computers occurs automatically, at the regular interval you set in the Connect Preferences dialog.

In these automatic sync operations, the system transfers only the changes since the most recent sync.

Reset Sync

A reset operation is like starting over. Unlike automatic sync, a reset is a wholesale transfer of all the content, not just the changed content. Because a reset clears the sync records, you typically run a reset only after a conflict is resolved or by changing the sync configuration.

Use a signature file to prevent accidental directory deletion

Designate a file as the signature file (on either the local or remote storage, or both). Before you start the sync, Connect verifies that the signature file exists. If the signature file cannot be found, Connect halts the sync to prevent accidental deletion.