Question Re N-Way Sync

[mikedr]

I have four computers that are syncing the same folder, at three locations.

 

I'm somewhat familiar with BT technology.  Therefore, I'm wondering how syncing works in practice.  I just added a new computer, computer 1 at location 1 we'll call it, and it has to sync around 100 gb of data.

 

My question is, where does it "get" the files from?  There is computer 2 at location 2, and computers 3 and 4 at location 3.  Computers 2, 3, and 4 are all already synced.  Does computer 1 get pieces of files from all of computers 2, 3, and 4 to make things faster?

 

That is, as I add more computers to the sync, does the initial sync typically go faster for the new computers?  Most of these computers are on 100/20 Internet connections, so a new computer can download at up to 100 mbps, but no other computer can upload faster than 20 mbps.  In theory, if a newly added computer can get pieces of files from five other computers, say, then it can fully realize its 100 mbps connection to get up to sync.

[Harold Feit]

As you add machines to the sync, their bandwidth and filesets are added to the available pool to pull from. Depending on the class of connection, you may hit other limits before you hit your bandwidth limit (random seek times on your storage device for example)

It may not get files from all computers simultaneously, but it WILL get multiple files from multiple machines.

[mikedr]

As you add machines to the sync, their bandwidth and filesets are added to the available pool to pull from. Depending on the class of connection, you may hit other limits before you hit your bandwidth limit (random seek times on your storage device for example)

It may not get files from all computers simultaneously, but it WILL get multiple files from multiple machines.

 

That's great!  Thus far, I've been pleased with BT Sync.  It replaced a commercial solution that was getting buggy.  The implementation of BT Sync on my Synology box seems to be slow, but I'm slogging through that part.