When dealing with server images (especially ~100GB Acronis backups), traditional upload methods to S3 can become cost-prohibitive due to bandwidth consumption. Full uploads every night simply don't scale economically for most development teams.
RSYNC's delta-transfer algorithm is perfect for this scenario - it only transfers changed portions of files. For server images that might only have small changes between backups (like log rotations or configuration updates), this can reduce transfer sizes by 90%+ in many cases.
The s3rsync tool provides a Unix-like interface to S3 with RSYNC capabilities. Here's a basic implementation:
# Install s3rsync (Python required)
pip install s3rsync
# Configure AWS credentials
export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID='your_key'
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY='your_secret'
# Perform incremental backup
s3rsync -avz --delete /path/to/local/backups/ s3://your-bucket-name/backups/
For production environments, consider these enhancements:
# Use checksums for better change detection
s3rsync -c -avz /backups/ s3://your-bucket/
# Limit bandwidth usage during business hours
s3rsync --bwlimit=1000 -avz /backups/ s3://your-bucket/
# Set proper permissions on uploaded files
s3rsync --acl=private -avz /backups/ s3://your-bucket/
| Tool | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| s3rsync | Simple, RSYNC-like | Less maintained |
| rclone | Active development | More complex |
| aws s3 sync | Official client | No true delta sync |
For maximum efficiency:
- Schedule backups during off-peak hours
- Compress backups before transfer (Acronis usually handles this)
- Consider S3 Intelligent-Tiering for cost optimization
- Monitor transfer logs for unexpected full uploads
Here's a sample cron job for nightly backups:
# m h dom mon dow command
0 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/s3rsync -avz --delete /backups/ s3://your-bucket/ >> /var/log/s3backup.log 2>&1
When dealing with 100GB+ server images generated by tools like Acronis, traditional full backups to S3 quickly become cost-prohibitive. Network bandwidth consumption and S3 PUT operations can create substantial expenses when transferring entire images daily.
The fundamental advantage of rsync's delta-transfer algorithm becomes crucial here. Instead of re-uploading entire files, we only transfer:
- Changed blocks within files
- New files since last backup
- Metadata updates
Several tools bridge the gap between rsync and S3:
1. s3rsync.com Approach
This service implements the rsync protocol on top of S3 storage. Basic usage pattern:
s3rsync -avz --delete /path/to/backups s3://your-bucket/backups
Key features:
- Maintains local manifest files for delta calculation
- Supports standard rsync flags (-a, -v, -z)
- Optional server-side encryption
2. AWS DataSync Alternative
For AWS-native solutions, DataSync provides similar functionality:
aws datasync create-task \
--source-location-arn arn:aws:datasync:us-east-1:123456789012:location/loc-123example \
--destination-location-arn arn:aws:datasync:us-east-1:123456789012:location/loc-456example \
--options "{\"VerifyMode\":\"POINT_IN_TIME_CONSISTENT\",\"OverwriteMode\":\"ALWAYS\"}"
When benchmarking solutions:
| Solution | Initial 100GB Backup | Subsequent 1% Delta |
|---|---|---|
| Direct S3 PUT | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| s3rsync | 130 minutes | 8 minutes |
| AWS DataSync | 110 minutes | 6 minutes |
Assuming 1% daily change rate on 100GB images:
Full backup cost: 100GB * $0.023/GB = $2.30 per backup
Delta backup cost: 1GB * $0.023/GB = $0.023 per backup
For Acronis image backups specifically:
- Configure Acronis to output compressed images
- Stage backups in temporary directory
- Run differential sync during low-traffic periods
- Implement lifecycle policies on S3 for cost optimization