In this article, we\u2019ll discuss how to synchronize files using Robocopy from one server to another, including the command prompts you can use to create specific file sharing parameters. We\u2019ll also discuss our own file synchronization solution, Resilio Active Everywhere, and how creating sync jobs with Resilio is much easier and more reliable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Resilio Active Everywhere (formerly Resilio Connect) is a P2P (peer-to-peer) file synchronization solution that\u2019s used by leading companies in tech (Match.com, Kaspersky), gaming (Blizzard, Wargaming.com), media (Mixhits Radio, Turner Sports), and more. It delivers the fastest transfer speeds in the industry (10+ Gbps per server), uses UDP-based WAN transfer technology to optimize file transfer across high-latency and lossy networks, and scales organically to easily handle large sync jobs (tested at 250+ million files in a single job) and replication to many endpoints.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re interested in learning more about Resilio as a Robocopy alternative, please check out this blog.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about syncing your company\u2019s files with Resilio Active Everywhere, <\/em>schedule a demo<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s start by breaking down the basic syntax of the robocopy command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/strong>robocopy<\/strong>\u201d<\/strong>: Initiates the robocopy command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n C:\\[source]<\/strong>: The first folder in the command is always the source folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n C:\\[destination]<\/strong>: The second folder in the command is always the destination folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [sync parameters]<\/strong>: This is where you enter commands that govern how your folder sync occurs. The sync parameters don\u2019t need to be in any particular order.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Sync parameter commands include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \/<\/strong>copyall<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies all source file information, including file names, security permissions, auditing information, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/s<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies subdirectories, excluding empty subdirectories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/e<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies subdirectories, including empty subdirectories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/z<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies files in restartable mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/b<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies files in backup mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/zb<\/strong> \u2014 This command uses restartable mode, and switches to backup mode if access is denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/PURGE<\/strong> \u2014 This command deletes destination files and folders and subfolders that no longer exist in the source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/<\/strong>mir<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies subdirectories (including empty folders) and deletes destination files that no longer exist in the source server. You should be aware that the NTFS permissions for the files in the destination directory tree will also be overwritten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/Copy:DAT<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies file data, attributes, and timestamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/Copy:DATSOU<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies file data, attributes, timestamps, security information, owner information, and auditing information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/<\/strong>dcopy<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies directory timestamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/MT:16<\/strong> \u2014 This command copies files in multithreaded mode \u2014 i.e., multiple files are copied simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/mov<\/strong> \u2014 This command moves files and deletes them from the source directory after they\u2019re copied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/MAXage:n<\/strong> \u2014 This command excludes files older than a certain time\/date. Replace n with the time\/date you want to exclude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/R:N<\/strong> \u2014 This command specifies the number of retries Robocopy will perform when a file transfer fails. N should be replaced by the desired number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/W:N<\/strong> \u2014 This command specifies the amount of time Robocopy should wait before retrying a sync (in seconds). N should be replaced with the number of seconds you want Robocopy to wait (the default is 30 seconds).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/tee<\/strong> \u2014 This command instructs Robocopy to output what it\u2019s doing to the screen display.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/v<\/strong> \u2014 This command instructs Robocopy to display verbose output and show skipped files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \/np<\/strong> \u2014 This command instructs Robocopy not to display the progress of the copy operation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The following command prompt represents an example of what an actual robocopy powershell command might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The above command will copy all subdirectories, including empty ones, in backup mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As stated above, while you can use Robocopy to create highly specific sync jobs, doing so requires knowing and implementing complex command prompts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also not the best tool for large sync jobs (syncing large files and syncing to multiple endpoints can take a long time). And when it breaks down, identifying and troubleshooting replication issues can be difficult \u2014 like most free command-line tools, it doesn\u2019t provide a lot of insight into replication jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Resilio Platform is a real-time, P2P-based file sync solution that is superior to Robocopy in several key ways, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/em><\/strong> For smaller sync jobs, you can also use <\/em>Resilio Sync<\/em><\/a>. At $7-$14 per user per month, Resilio Sync is perfect for:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Deploying Resilio Platform and creating synchronization jobs (no matter how complex or specific) is much easier than Robocopy, as Resilio was designed to be easy to use and manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio can be easily deployed on your existing infrastructure and begin replicating in as little as 2 hours.<\/strong> It\u2019s an agent-based software that\u2019s more flexible than Robocopy \u2014 it can be set up in the cloud, on-prem, or in a hybrid cloud model. Resilio supports a variety of cloud storage services, virtual cloud servers, mobile devices (Resilio offers iOS and Android apps), and desktops. And Resilio can be configured cross-platform on a variety of file servers, including Windows, Ubuntu, Linux, Unix, iOS, MacOS, Android, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n Managing sync jobs with Resilio is easy with Resilio\u2019s Management Console, which provides insight into the state of replication via real-time notifications and detailed transfer logs.<\/strong> You can also use it to sync jobs and parameters that suit your needs, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Monitoring replication and troubleshooting replication issues is easy with Resilio, as Resilio provides detailed information on replication jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n Resilio also gives you all of the automation capabilities that Robocopy provides without any of the complexity, enabling you to easily automate any type of scripting or functionality using the GUI, REST API, and command-line prompts.<\/p>\n\n\n Because of its point-to-point topology, Robocopy is slower, less reliable, and less scalable than Resilio Active Everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With point-to-point replication, files can only be transferred to one server at a time (i.e., from one server to another). This transfer methodology is slow (especially when syncing large files and\/or syncing to multiple endpoints) and can create bottlenecks. If one server is on a slow network (or file transfer is impeded by some other issue), every other server must wait for that file transfer to complete before they can receive their files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Resilio uses real-time file change detection, P2P transfer, and file chunking to deliver fast (up to 10 Gbps per endpoint), reliable file synchronization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio can detect and immediately replicate file changes using real-time notifications from the host OS and optimized checksum calculations \u2014 i.e., it assigns an identification marker to each file that changes whenever a change is made to the file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And each server in your replication environment is equally privileged and can share files with any other server. This means that there is no single point of failure \u2014 if the network is slow or goes down on any server, the necessary files or servers can be provided by any other server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resilio also uses a process known as file chunking, where a file is split into several chunks that can transfer independently from each other. With file chunking and Resilio\u2019s P2P transfer topology, file transfer can occur simultaneously across all of the servers in your environment, resulting in transfer speeds that are 3-10x faster than point-to-point solutions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, when replicating a file from Server 1 to the other servers in your environment, Server 1 can split that file into six chunks. Then it can share the first chunk with Server 2 (or any other server). When Server 2 receives the first chunk, it can begin sharing it with Server 3 before it has received the full file.<\/p>\n\n\n Innovative Design<\/a> is a creative print and media marketing agency that uses Resilio to collaborate on projects and sync files across 3 offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe were able to turn around graphic proofs quicker based on our staff\u2019s availability versus forcing it through a bottleneck at a specific office. Resilio has made us more efficient.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about how Innovative Design syncs over 800,000 files across locations and transfers, consolidates, and restores 4.5TB of data.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most point-to-point replication solutions like Robocopy aren\u2019t optimized for copying or synchronizing files across the WAN. For basic WAN transfers, they rely on TCP, which performs poorly over WANs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Resilio optimizes transfer over lossy, high-latency WAN networks using a proprietary UDP-based WAN acceleration protocol known as Zero Gravity Transport\u2122 (ZGT)<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ZGT uses several methods to optimize WAN transfer, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of Resilio’s WAN optimization technology, it can also sync and transfer files from the edge of the network \u2014 i.e., to and from remote locations with poor internet connections. Our client Shifo, for example, uses Resilio to sync files to poor, remote areas in Uganda and other locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shifo<\/a> is a health data solution company that delivers life saving healthcare solutions to remote communities and uses Resilio Platform to quickly deliver files to over 3,000 remote locations with poor quality networks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResilio Platform reliably runs in the background \u2014 and just works. Like a humble, dependable friend\u2026 We sleep better because Resilio is there. That\u2019s a critical piece. You can\u2019t imagine how difficult it was for us (prior to Resilio): Delays, nothing being synchronized; now I don\u2019t hear any of those problems. Now we can focus on solving healthcare problems (instead of moving files).\u201d <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about how Resilio delivers reliable file distribution for Shifo across any network connection.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Robocopy doesn\u2019t encrypt your data at rest or in transit, leaving it vulnerable to interception and malicious activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Resilio uses 3rd-party reviewed, state-of-the art security features to protect your data. It encrypts data at rest and in transit using AES 256 and one-time session encryption keys. And it uses mutual authentication to ensure files are only delivered to secure, approved endpoints and cryptographic integrity validation to ensure files arrive at their destination intact and uncorrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Robocopy can be used for server synchronization, setting up and troubleshooting sync jobs can be difficult. You should use an alternative replication solution<\/a> like Resilio.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Create a Robocopy Sync Command<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Robocopy C<\/strong>:\\[source] C:\\[destination] [sync parameters]<\/strong><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n\n
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robocopy C:\\sourcefolder\\sharename C:\\destinationfolder\\sharename \/e \/b<\/strong><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nFour Reasons Why Resilio Platform Is a Superior File Sync Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Creating, Managing, and Automating Sync Jobs with Resilio Is Much Easier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Resilio's](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/check-resync-progress-1-1024x605.png\")
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/check-resync-progress-2-1024x532.png\")
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n2. Real-Time, Organically Scalable Synchronization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"P2P](\"https:\/\/blog.resilio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/p2p-vs-client-server.gif\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n3. Superior WAN Transfer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Superior Security Features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Use Resilio Platform for Fast, Reliable Server Synchronization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n