Backup & Recovery (Rsync/Tar/Dd)

Network-Aware Rsync Backups with Bandwidth Limits

🧩 The Challenge

Large rsync transfers often saturate your local network link, making it difficult to use other online services while a backup is running.

💡 The Fix

Use the built-in throttle flag to restrict the amount of bandwidth consumed by the rsync process during the transfer.

rsync -avP --bwlimit=1000 /source/directory/ user@remote:/destination/directory/

⚙️ Why It Works

The –bwlimit parameter forces the rsync data transfer rate to stay at or below the specified value in kilobytes per second, leaving overhead for other network traffic.

🚀 Pro-Tip: Use the -P flag in your command to combine progress bar tracking with the ability to resume partially transferred files.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 7/5/2026