# rsync limit by time?

## Zubziro

Hi

I'm in need to make backups across slow internet link. 

Backup takes 18 hours to execute. 

I wonder if it possible to somehow split this backup (night run) by 5 hours at the time (termenate rsync after 5 hours and resume next time from last transfer point)?

Thanks.

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## Hu

Since rsync is meant to transfer only files which have changed, it should be sufficient to kill rsync as morning approaches.  With the right options, rsync should be able to resume where it left off.  You may need to use some non-default options if you are syncing any files so large that there is a high chance they will be in-transit when the rsync is killed.

However, you may be better off using a traffic-shaping approach so that the rsync runs to completion in the background and is never killed, but does allow the system to defer its traffic in favor of more important connections.

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## Zubziro

 *Hu wrote:*   

> Since rsync is meant to transfer only files which have changed, it should be sufficient to kill rsync as morning approaches.  With the right options, rsync should be able to resume where it left off.  You may need to use some non-default options if you are syncing any files so large that there is a high chance they will be in-transit when the rsync is killed.
> 
> However, you may be better off using a traffic-shaping approach so that the rsync runs to completion in the background and is never killed, but does allow the system to defer its traffic in favor of more important connections.

 

Thanks for your answer!

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