Backup & Recovery (Rsync/Tar/Dd)

Stop assuming rsync preserves your extended attributes

🧩 The Challenge

You finally moved your critical web assets to a new server, but suddenly the permissions and SELinux contexts are a total disaster. It’s infuriating when files land on the new drive but the metadata that actually makes them work is left behind.

💡 The Fix

You need to explicitly tell rsync to reach into the extended attributes and ACLs, because it ignores them by default. It’s the only way to make a remote move feel like a local clone.

rsync -avHAX --numeric-ids /source/path/ user@remote:/destination/path/

⚙️ Why It Works

Adding the X flag forces rsync to handle extended attributes, while A ensures all your ACLs carry over instead of getting stripped out during the transfer.

🚀 Pro-Tip: Use –numeric-ids so you don’t end up with broken file ownership if your UIDs don’t match exactly on the destination box.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 8/27/2026