How to Securely Transfer Files via rsync and SSH on Linux

Pre-Flight Check

• These instructions are intended specifically for transferring files between servers via rsync and SSH on Linux.
• I’ll be working from a Liquid Web Core Managed CentOS 7 server, and I’ll be logged in as root.
• Liquid Web offers a portfolio of VPS, dedicated servers, and cloud hosting solutions that you can peruse at your leisure

Use These Commands to Securely Download From a Server

Standard SSH Port:

rsync -avHe ssh user@server:/path/to/file /home/user/path/to/file

• user: The username of the remote user through which you’ll be logging into the target (remote) server.
• server: The hostname or IP address of the target (remote) server.
• /path/to/file: The path to the file that needs to be downloaded from the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.
• /home/user/path/to/file: The local path where you would like to store the file that is downloaded from the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.

Example:

rsync -avHe ssh [email protected]:/home/adam/testfile1 /home/localuser/testfile1

Alternate SSH Port:

rsync -avHPe "ssh -pPORTNUMBER" user@server:/path/to/file /home/user/path/to/file

• PORTNUMBER: The port number for SSH on the target (remote) server.
• user: The username of the remote user through which you’ll be logging into the target (remote) server.
• server: The hostname or IP address of the target (remote) server.
• /path/to/file: The path to the file that needs to be downloaded from the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.
• /home/user/path/to/file: The local path where you would like to store the file that is downloaded from the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.

Example:

rsync -avHPe "ssh -p1337" [email protected]:/home/adam/testfile1 /home/localuser/testfile1

Use These Commands to Securely Upload To a Server

Standard SSH Port:

rsync -avH /home/user/path/to/file -e ssh user@server:/path/to/file

• /home/user/path/to/file: The local path where the file that will be uploaded to the target (remote) server exists, where file is the file name.
• user: The username of the remote user through which you’ll be logging into the target (remote) server.
• server: The hostname or IP address of the target (remote) server.
• /path/to/file: The remote path for the file that will be uploaded to the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.

Example:

rsync -avH /home/localuser/testfile1 -e ssh [email protected]:/home/adam/testfile1

Alternate SSH Port:

rsync -avHPe "ssh -pPORTNUMBER" /home/user/path/to/file -e ssh user@server:/path/to/file

• PORTNUMBER: The port number for SSH on the target (remote) server.
• /home/user/path/to/file: The local path where the file that will be uploaded to the target (remote) server exists, where file is the file name.
• user: The username of the remote user through which you’ll be logging into the target (remote) server.
• server: The hostname or IP address of the target (remote) server.
• /path/to/file: The remote path for the file that will be uploaded to the target (remote) server, where file is the file name.

Example:

rsync -avHPe "ssh -pPORTNUMBER" /home/localuser/testfile1 -e ssh [email protected]:/home/adam/testfile1