Setup assistance

[dageyra]

Hello everyone, I really like the BT Sync application and have very ambitious future plans for the software. Right now I am using it as an integral part of our backup solution. Our office consists of several workstations and Linux servers. No issue on the Linux side of things, but there may be some setup or misunderstanding on the Windows side.

I have BT Sync installed on our Windows Server to sync (one-way, read only) the Users folder of all workstations. This is setup and all of the files have synced perfectly, everything was great. Until I did some tests.

I logged into one of the accounts on a workstation and created a blank text file on the desktop. Within a few moments, the file appeared on the server, great. I then deleted the file from the server, hoping that it would reappear (because this is one-way). This never happened, is this intentional? I decided I would remove write access to the sync folder on the server so that only the admin (bt sync user) can create/modify files. After doing this, I created a new text file. Within a few moments, it appeared on the server. I then opened the text file on the workstation and made a small change, saved the file. After a few moments, the file was no longer on server, it just vanished completely. It does not appear in the sync archive, and strangely enough the History shows nothing when the file is created but shows that the file was 'added' once changed (and removed from the server).

I feel like I must have it setup incorrect, any suggestions where to look for the potential problem? Also, is it by design that if a file is removed from the read-only synced server that it won't be copied over again from the source?

[dageyra]

I attempted some more troubleshooting. When the file is first created (and appears on the server), there is no entry in the History. After each change to the file (aside from deleting), an entry is added to the History that the file was 'added'. Yet it never reappears after being mysteriously removed from the server folder. Also when the file is deleted, nothing happens on the server. It's never deleted, no entry in the History says it's deleted. This is strange because there are other files that were previously synced (the initial sync) and I picked an old one that could be removed, deleted it, and the file went away from the server with a History entry 'removed file'. This behavior is very odd, I will continue to troubleshoot while awaiting any sort of reply.

[dageyra]

I tested further, this time with a Word doc instead of text file. I created the file on the PC, it appeared on the server (no Histroy entry). Instead of trying to modify the file, I deleted it from the PC. Moments later, it was removed from the server as well, but still no entry in the History for either a file added or removed.

[dageyra]

I went looking in the SyncArchive, none of the deleted tests are in there. However, the file that was deleted but a part of the initial sync was in there. I also tried to modify a file that was a part of the initial sync, and it did not remove the file from the server, it was updated (with an entry in the History). Yet newly created test files behave differently.

Is there some kind of time requirement for the sync process to have the data? I assumed that if the file was created on the server, then it was a part of the process. Perhaps I should try creating a file and waiting 30-60 minutes and then trying to modify it to see if that behaves correctly.

[dageyra]

I waited 60 minutes after creating a new text file, no improvement. A few moments after changing the file on the workstation, it disappeared from the server and an entry in the History says that it was 'added'.

I'm almost out of ideas, anyone got anything that could be causing this?

[LazyWolf]

It may help us to know which versions your test machines are running(also are they all running the same version)...

Also BTSync is in beta... So it may not be the best idea to make it an "integral" part of your backup infrastructure just yet as it may fail or do damage to your files.

[dageyra]

LazyWolf, thanks for getting back to me. All software is downloaded to the central server for installation to ensure compatibility and easy maintenance, and the version is 1.1.48. Should be the latest as I just did this on Friday.

Our backup system has three layers; each workstation makes a local backup, we use an off site backup, and we are imolementing a rolling long term backup with versioning (BTSync). We don't have all our eggs in one basket, but I've worked with a lot of options similar to BTSync (commercial products, rsync, etc) and it is the easiest and best solution for what we need. If we didn't have Windows users, rsync could work, but I've had lots of issues with Windows rsync options. Also, we are developing a new product with an intrinsic obstacle that I believe BTSync can resolve, so I need to test it for security and reliability. Any point of our backup system could fail, data corruption, drive failure, user interference, etc, so BTSync's status does not deter me as we have to plan for many risks.

Anything else I can provide to help narrow down the issue?

[LazyWolf]

I am currently running .70 and I just did exactly what you mentioned -- adding a file then deleting it on the server side -- and I am seeing the same thing as you with. The server I am using is Ubuntu server 13.04 and the desktop is 13.04 Desktop.

In the linux web gui for the desktop I see the desktop knows the server does not have all the files because it shows 1.2M (Up), but on the server it shows "Synced on..." so it seems if you delete a file from a read-only share it will not be re-synced.

My test...

[Desktop] -> Ubuntu desktop 13.04 64-bit

[backup Server] -> Ubuntu server 13.04 64-bit

---

[Desktop] has full access to a folder with 3G+ of pictures {Share A - Full}

[backup Server] uses btsync to sync {Share A} to a local folder

---

Using ssh I logged into [backup Server] and deleted a file in {Share A - Read Only}

BTsync has yet to re-add the file

It would be nice to see this fixed.

[dageyra]

Thanks for the reply LazyWolf. That was one part of my issue, and that one I can handle with appropriate permissions to safeguard the data. I wonder though if it's related to the second problem, that is adding a new file and then changing it removes the file from the server.

However, I seem to have gotten some sort of resolution to this issue. I decided to start fresh, thinking that maybe there was an index issue, possibly caused by deleting a file on the server that is read-only or perhaps because I was trying to sync the entire Users folder (which would contain sync information). I worked out how to use the SyncIgnore and got rid of a lot of extraneous/temporary/etc files that would be included in the sync (maybe the issue was related to the fact that the sync continued indefinitely due to changing system files). I added the workstations back one at a time, and so far I do not have the problem with adding & updating new files at the source. I still haven't added all the workstation back yet, so if it's related to the number of synced folders, that would be an issue, but thus far it's working as expected. *fingers crossed*

Still I agree with you that removing (or changing, what happens in that case?) a file on the read-only server, it should have the file replaced from the source. Hopefully that is resolved in future versions, I'm not sure when the read-only feature was added.

For us, this is still a great system and I'm very excited to see it's continued developments.