Re: rsync readonly mode?

RolandK via rsync <[email protected]> Thu, 9 Apr 2026 13:14:08 +0200
Newsgroups gmane.network.rsync.general
Message-ID <[email protected]> 
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thanks,

i have to admit i have underestimated rrsync.=C2=A0 looks like a powerful=
=20
tool, and testing looks quite promsing.

it seems i need to do only minimal changes to our backup solution.

unfortunately, rrsync is not available on some platforms like macos, not=
=20
even homebrew rsync 3.4.1 does bundle it (yet).

regards
Roland

Am 08.04.26 um 18:22 schrieb Kevin Korb via rsync:
> You can do this by restricting the ssh key to rrsync (comes with rsync=
=20
> in the contrib dir).=C2=A0 It has a read only and a write only mode. If =
the=20
> path you give it is / then it is pretty much transparent unless one of=
=20
> those options is also used.
>
> Otherwise, you can use the rsyncd over ssh setup which is kinda ugly=20
> and would require the same forcing method to not just be optional.
>
> On 4/8/26 12:18, RolandK via rsync wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> we are using rsync mostly exclusively for packup purpose in "pull=20
>> mode" , run via script from a central backup server.
>>
>> for that, we typically have allowed remote root login via ssh key.=C2=
=A0=20
>> rsync from the backup server pulls data from all hosts to be backed=20
>> up via ssh/rsync remote pipe.
>> it's running great for years in conjunction with zfs + inplace +=20
>> rotating snapshots.
>>
>> besides the fact that we can use ssh security features to restrict=20
>> what commands can be run from remote - i am curious:
>>
>> wouldn't it be an interesting idea to have some feature/switch in=20
>> rsync, which can globally (on a per host basis) turn rsync=20
>> into=C2=A0=C2=A0"read-only" mode,
>> i.e. which makes rsync binary drop any capability of using=20
>> write/modify/ delete syscalls ?=C2=A0 maybe via some hard-coded=20
>> /etc/rsync.conf , checked on startup ?
>>
>> does this sound reasonable and wold someone find this useful , too ?
>>
>> regards
>> roland
>>
>>
>
>

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    <p>thanks,=C2=A0<br>
      <br>
      i have to admit i have underestimated rrsync.=C2=A0 looks like a
      powerful tool, and testing looks quite promsing.=C2=A0<br>
      <br>
      it seems i need to do only minimal changes to our backup
      solution.=C2=A0<br>
      <br>
      unfortunately, rrsync is not available on some platforms like
      macos, not even homebrew rsync 3.4.1 does bundle it (yet).<br>
      <br>
      regards<br>
      Roland<br>
      <br>
    </p>
    <div class=3D"moz-cite-prefix">Am 08.04.26 um 18:22 schrieb Kevin Korb
      via rsync:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type=3D"cite"
      cite=3D"mid:[email protected]">You
      can do this by restricting the ssh key to rrsync (comes with rsync
      in the contrib dir).=C2=A0 It has a read only and a write only mode.=
=C2=A0
      If the path you give it is / then it is pretty much transparent
      unless one of those options is also used.
      <br>
      <br>
      Otherwise, you can use the rsyncd over ssh setup which is kinda
      ugly and would require the same forcing method to not just be
      optional.
      <br>
      <br>
      On 4/8/26 12:18, RolandK via rsync wrote:
      <br>
      <blockquote type=3D"cite">Hello,
        <br>
        <br>
        we are using rsync mostly exclusively for packup purpose in
        "pull mode" , run via script from a central backup server.
        <br>
        <br>
        for that, we typically have allowed remote root login via ssh
        key.=C2=A0 rsync from the backup server pulls data from all hosts =
to
        be backed up via ssh/rsync remote pipe.
        <br>
        it's running great for years in conjunction with zfs + inplace +
        rotating snapshots.
        <br>
        <br>
        besides the fact that we can use ssh security features to
        restrict what commands can be run from remote - i am curious:
        <br>
        <br>
        wouldn't it be an interesting idea to have some feature/switch
        in rsync, which can globally (on a per host basis) turn rsync
        into=C2=A0=C2=A0"read-only" mode,
        <br>
        i.e. which makes rsync binary drop any capability of using
        write/modify/ delete syscalls ?=C2=A0 maybe via some hard-coded
        /etc/rsync.conf , checked on startup ?
        <br>
        <br>
        does this sound reasonable and wold someone find this useful ,
        too ?
        <br>
        <br>
        regards
        <br>
        roland
        <br>
        <br>
        <br>
      </blockquote>
      <br>
      <br>
    </blockquote>
  </body>
</html>

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