---
type: concept
title: File Synchronization
tags: [data-management, backup, synchronization]
related: [freefilesync, zentrale-datenspeicherung, nas.rz.uni-greifswald.de]
created: 2026-06-30
updated: 2026-06-30
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_allgemein_zentrale_datenspeicherung_fileserver_sync.md"]
---

# File Synchronization

**File Synchronization** is the process of ensuring that two directories—typically a local folder on a workstation and a remote folder on a server—contain the same set of files. At the Universität Greifswald, this is used to allow users to work on files locally while ensuring they are backed up to the [[zentrale-datenspeicherung]].

## Synchronization Techniques

### Two-Way Synchronization
In this mode, changes made in either the local directory or the server directory are propagated to the other. This is the recommended approach for maintaining data consistency when files may be edited from multiple devices.

### Mirroring
Mirroring creates an exact replica of the source directory in the target directory. 
- **Risk**: Any changes made to the target (server) directory that are not present in the source (local) directory will be deleted or overwritten during the next synchronization.
- **Use Case**: Useful when the local directory is the absolute "source of truth."

## Automation via Batch Processing
To avoid manual triggers, synchronization can be automated using **Batch Jobs**. A batch job is a saved configuration that defines:
- The source and target paths.
- The synchronization method.
- Execution parameters (e.g., running minimized, ignoring errors, and logging).

On Windows, these batch jobs are integrated with [[realtimesync]] to enable event-driven synchronization.
