Managing Sync Backup Plans

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for managing sync backup plans in Pluton. Sync plans use Rclone to keep your destination storage synchronized with your source files.

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Running Syncs

Syncs run automatically on schedule, but you can also trigger them manually.

Automatic Syncs

Once created, your sync plan will:

• Run automatically at the scheduled intervals
• Retry automatically if failures occur (based on retry settings)
• Continue running until you pause or delete the plan
• Propagate changes (additions, modifications, deletions) to destination

You can see the next scheduled sync time by hovering over the interval in the plan list.

Manual Sync (Sync Now)

To run a sync immediately, outside of the regular schedule:

From the Plans List:

1. Locate your sync plan in the list
2. Click the three dots menu (⋮) on the right side
3. Select "Sync Now" or "Backup Now"
4. A notification confirms the sync has started
5. The plan card will show "In Progress" status

From Plan Details Page:

1. Navigate to the plan by clicking on it
2. Click the "Sync Now" button in the page header
3. The sync starts immediately
4. You'll see real-time progress with:
   • Files added, modified, removed
   • Data transferred
   • Current sync speed
   • Estimated time remaining

Important Notes:

• You cannot start a manual sync while one is already in progress
• Manual syncs don't affect the regular schedule
• Failed manual syncs will retry based on your retry settings
• Manual syncs record change history like scheduled syncs

Monitoring Sync Progress

Real-Time Progress:

• Open the plan details page during a sync
• View live statistics including:
  • Percentage complete
  • Number of files added
  • Number of files modified
  • Number of files removed
  • Amount of data transferred
  • Current transfer speed
  • Estimated time remaining

Sync History:

• Each completed sync appears in the "Syncs" section
• View sync date/time, changes made, and status
• Review statistics:
  • Files added/modified/removed
  • Total data transferred
  • Sync duration
• Click on individual sync records to:
  • View detailed change list
  • See which files were affected
  • Review sync logs

Change Tracking:

Sync plans track three types of changes:

• Added - New files copied to destination
• Modified - Updated files overwritten at destination
• Removed - Deleted files removed from destination

Logs:

• Click "View Logs" in the more options menu (⋮)
• See detailed execution logs
• Track file-by-file operations
• Helpful for troubleshooting issues
• Download logs for offline review

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Pausing a Plan

Pausing a sync plan stops automatic scheduled syncs without deleting the plan or existing synced data.

When to Pause a Plan

• During system maintenance or updates
• When the source device is offline temporarily
• To save bandwidth during critical operations
• When storage quota is reached temporarily
• To stop propagation of unwanted changes
• During troubleshooting or testing

How to Pause

From the Plans List:

1. Locate your sync plan
2. Click the three dots menu (⋮)
3. Select "Pause Plan"
4. A notification confirms the plan is paused
5. The plan shows a "Paused" badge

From Plan Details Page:

1. Navigate to the plan details
2. Click the "Pause" button in the page header
3. The plan is immediately paused
4. The page header shows "Paused" status

What Happens When Paused:

• Scheduled syncs stop running
• The cron schedule is deactivated
• Existing synced data remains intact at destination
• The plan remains in your plans list
• You cannot run manual syncs while paused
• No changes are propagated until resumed

Important for Sync Plans:

• Source and destination can drift out of sync while paused
• When resumed, the next sync will catch up all changes
• Large change accumulation = longer first sync after resume

Resuming a Paused Plan

From the Plans List:

1. Locate the paused plan (has "Paused" badge)
2. Click the three dots menu (⋮)
3. Select "Resume Plan"
4. A notification confirms the plan is active
5. Scheduled syncs resume automatically

From Plan Details Page:

1. Navigate to the paused plan
2. Click the "Resume" button in the page header
3. The plan is reactivated immediately
4. The next scheduled sync will run as configured

What Happens When Resumed:

• The sync schedule is reactivated
• Next sync runs at the scheduled interval (not immediately)
• All accumulated changes since pause will be synced
• Normal sync operations continue

Important Notes:

• You cannot pause a plan while a sync is in progress
• Resuming doesn't trigger an immediate sync (use "Sync Now" if needed)
• Pausing doesn't delete any data or configuration
• Large changes accumulated during pause may take longer to sync

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Editing a Sync Plan

You can modify most settings of an existing sync plan. Some settings cannot be changed after creation.

What Can Be Edited

Changeable Settings:

• Plan name/title
• Source paths (add/remove folders to sync)
• Exclude patterns
• Storage subfolder path
• Sync schedule/interval
• Revision history settings
• Revisions to keep
• Compression setting
• Tags
• Retry settings
• Performance settings
• Notification settings

Cannot Be Changed:

• Source device
• Storage destination
• Backup method (Sync vs Periodic Backup)
• Source type (device, database, etc.)
• Encryption (once synced data exists)

How to Edit a Plan

1. Open Edit Panel

From Plans List:

• Find your plan and click on it to open details
• Click the "Edit" button in the page header

Or:

• Click the three dots menu (⋮) next to the plan
• Select "Edit"

The edit panel opens on the right side.

2. Modify Settings

The edit panel has four tabs accessible from the top:

Step 1: Basics

• Change the plan name
• View source type and method (cannot change)

Step 2: Source/Destination

• Add or remove folders to sync
• Modify exclude patterns
• Click "+ Add Folder" to include additional paths
• Use the trash icon to remove folders
• Adjust storage subfolder path (destination cannot change)

Important for Sync Plans:

• Adding folders will sync new data on next run
• Removing folders won't delete already-synced data at destination
• Exclude pattern changes apply to next sync

Step 3: Schedule

• Change sync interval and time
• Modify revision history settings
• Toggle revision history on/off
• Change revisions to keep
• All interval options are available

Schedule Change Considerations:

• More frequent syncs = lower latency but more overhead
• Less frequent syncs = higher latency but less overhead
• Match frequency to actual change patterns

Revision History Changes:

• Enabling revision history starts saving versions from next sync
• Disabling revision history stops saving new versions (keeps existing)
• Changing retention count applies on next cleanup

Step 4: Advanced

• Toggle compression on/off
• Modify retry settings
• Adjust performance settings
• Configure notifications
• Manage tags

Performance Tuning:

• Adjust transfers for bandwidth management
• Change sync strategy (checksum vs modtime)
• Set max duration or max transfer limits

3. Save Changes

• Click "Update Plan" at the bottom of the panel
• Pluton validates your changes
• The sync schedule is updated
• A success notification appears

What Happens After Update:

• Schedule changes take effect immediately
• Source path changes apply to the next sync
• New folders will be synced on next run
• Performance changes apply immediately
• Notification changes take effect for future syncs

Important Notes:

• You cannot edit a plan while a sync is in progress
• Wait for active syncs to complete before editing
• Test configuration changes with small datasets first
• Monitor first sync after major changes

Best Practices for Editing

1. Don't edit during syncs - Wait for active syncs to complete
2. Test new paths - Verify folders exist and are accessible before adding
3. Review excludes - Ensure exclude patterns work as intended
4. Check storage space - When adding more source paths
5. Update incrementally - Make small changes and test before adding more
6. Monitor after changes - Watch the first sync after editing to verify behavior
7. Document changes - Note what you changed and why

Common Editing Scenarios

Adding More Folders:

1. Edit the plan
2. Add new source folders in Step 2
3. Save and let the next sync run
4. New folders will be fully copied to destination
5. Subsequent syncs only transfer changes

Changing Sync Frequency:

1. Edit the plan
2. Adjust interval in Step 3
3. Save changes
4. New schedule takes effect immediately
5. Next sync runs at new interval

Enabling Revision History:

1. Edit the plan
2. Toggle on revision history in Step 3
3. Set revisions to keep
4. Save changes
5. From next sync, old versions will be saved

Adjusting Performance:

1. Edit the plan
2. Go to Step 4 Advanced Settings
3. Modify transfers, buffer size, or sync strategy
4. Save changes
5. Changes apply to next sync immediately

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Removing a Sync Plan

Deleting a sync plan removes the plan configuration and optionally the synced data from storage.

Before You Delete

Consider:

• Pausing instead if you might need the plan later
• Verifying you have alternative copies of important data
• Checking if any sync operations are in progress
• Reviewing what data will be affected

Important for Sync Plans:

• Synced data at destination is a live copy (not archived snapshots)
• Deleting with data removal will delete your synced files
• This is different from backup plans where snapshots are deleted

How to Remove a Plan

1. Open Delete Confirmation

From Plans List:

• Click the plan card to open details
• Click "More Options (⋮)" in the page header
• Select "Remove"

Or from Plan Details:

• Click the three dots menu (⋮) in the header
• Select "Remove"

A confirmation modal appears.

2. Choose Data Removal Option

Important Decision:

The modal shows a toggle option:

• "Remove remote sync data from the Remote Storage"

If DISABLED (default):

• Only the plan configuration is deleted from Pluton
• All synced files remain at the destination
• Destination storage retains the mirrored data
• You can manually access the data if needed
• Storage space is not freed

If ENABLED:

• The plan configuration AND all synced data are deleted
• All files at the destination path are permanently removed
• Storage space is freed
• This action cannot be undone!

When to Enable:

• You no longer need the synced data at destination
• You want to reclaim storage space
• You're sure you won't need the files at destination
• The data is backed up elsewhere or at source

When to Keep Disabled:

• You want to keep the synced copy for use
• Destination serves as an active backup location
• You might need to access files from destination
• Storage space is not a concern
• You want to manually review before deletion

Special Consideration for Sync Plans:

Unlike backup plans with snapshots, sync plans store live file copies. Deleting with data removal removes your actual files, not just backup versions. Be absolutely certain before enabling this option.

3. Confirm Deletion

• Read the warning message carefully
• Set the toggle based on your needs
• Click "Yes, Remove Plan"
• The deletion process begins

What Happens:

1. Pluton stops all scheduled syncs for this plan
2. The cron schedule is removed
3. If enabled, synced data is deleted from destination (this may take time)
4. The plan is removed from the database
5. You're redirected to the main Plans page
6. A success notification appears

Important Notes:

• You cannot delete a plan while a sync is in progress
• Deletion with data removal may take several minutes for large datasets
• There is no undo or recovery option
• All sync history and logs for this plan are deleted
• If revision history exists, it's also deleted

After Deletion

• The plan no longer appears in your plans list
• Scheduled syncs stop immediately
• If data was deleted:
  • Destination path is empty or removed
  • Storage space is freed (may take time to reflect)
• If data was kept:
  • Synced files remain accessible at destination
  • No further syncs will occur
  • Data remains until manually removed

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Comparing Syncs

View differences between sync operations to understand what changed.

How to Compare

1. Navigate to the plan details page
2. In the "Syncs" history section, locate two syncs to compare
3. Click on a sync to view its details
4. Review the changes:
   • Files added since previous sync
   • Files modified since previous sync
   • Files removed since previous sync

Understanding Change Information

Added Files:

• Files that were created at source
• New files that didn't exist in previous sync
• Show file path and size

Modified Files:

• Files that changed at source
• Could be content changes or metadata changes
• Show file path and new size

Removed Files:

• Files that were deleted at source
• These are removed from destination (or moved to history)
• Show file path and previous size

Use Cases for Comparing

• Verify sync captured expected changes
• Audit what files were added/removed
• Troubleshoot why certain files weren't synced
• Monitor data growth patterns
• Review deletion patterns

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Troubleshooting

Sync Fails to Start

Symptoms: Clicking "Sync Now" doesn't start a sync

Solutions:

• Check if a sync is already running
• Verify the plan is not paused (Resume it first)
• Check storage connectivity (verify storage in Storages page)
• Review plan logs for error messages
• Ensure source device is online (for remote syncs)
• Check source paths still exist

Cannot Edit Plan

Symptoms: Edit button disabled or changes won't save

Solutions:

• Wait for any active sync to complete
• Ensure you're not trying to change immutable settings (device, storage, method)
• Check that required fields are filled correctly
• Verify at least one source folder is selected
• Check for validation errors in the edit panel

Pause/Resume Not Working

Symptoms: Plan doesn't pause or resume properly

Solutions:

• Wait for active syncs to finish before pausing
• Check plan logs for scheduling errors
• Restart the Pluton server if schedules seem stuck
• Verify cron service is running
• Check system time and timezone settings

Plan Deletion Stuck

Symptoms: Deletion takes too long or appears to hang

Solutions:

• If deleting with data removal, large datasets take time (be patient)
• Check network connectivity to storage
• Monitor the app logs (Settings → App Logs)
• Large revision histories take longer to delete
• If truly stuck after 30+ minutes, contact support

Syncs Taking Too Long

Symptoms: Syncs take much longer than expected

Solutions:

• Check source for large files or many files
• Review exclude patterns - are you syncing unnecessary data?
• Adjust performance settings (increase transfers)
• Check network and storage performance
• Review logs for bottlenecks
• Consider breaking up into multiple smaller sync plans

Files Not Syncing

Symptoms: Some files don't appear at destination

Solutions:

• Check exclude patterns - files might be excluded
• Verify file permissions at source
• Check for filename issues (special characters)
• Review sync logs for errors on specific files
• Ensure files aren't in use or locked during sync
• Check storage space at destination

Revisions Not Working

Symptoms: Old versions not being saved

Solutions:

• Verify revision history is enabled in plan settings
• Check revisions to keep value is > 0
• Review destination for history folder
• Check storage space (revisions require extra space)
• Verify history folder isn't being excluded

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Tips and Best Practices

Creating Sync Plans

1. Start small - Test with a small folder first before syncing large datasets
2. Use descriptive names - Include source and frequency (e.g., "Docs 15-Min Sync")
3. Enable encryption - Always encrypt when using cloud storage
4. Tag consistently - Develop a tagging system from the start
5. Test immediately - Run a manual sync after creation to verify settings
6. Enable revisions - For important data, enable revision history

Running Syncs

1. Schedule wisely - Match frequency to actual change patterns
2. Monitor first sync - Watch the first sync to ensure it completes properly
3. Check regularly - Periodically review sync history for failures
4. Don't overload - Avoid running too many manual syncs simultaneously
5. Verify changes - Spot-check destination to confirm changes propagate

Pausing Plans

1. Temporary only - Use pause for short-term needs, not long-term
2. Document reasons - Note why you paused (for memory later)
3. Set reminders - Don't forget to resume after maintenance
4. Review regularly - Check for accidentally paused plans
5. Expect catch-up - First sync after resume may take longer

Editing Plans

1. Edit off-hours - Make changes when syncs aren't scheduled
2. Small changes - Modify one thing at a time when possible
3. Test after editing - Run a manual sync to verify changes
4. Document changes - Keep notes on what you changed and why
5. Monitor closely - Watch the first sync after editing

Removing Plans

1. Pause first - Pause for a while before deleting to ensure it's not needed
2. Verify data - Ensure you have alternative copies if keeping data
3. Archive settings - Screenshot or document plan configuration before deletion
4. Clean up gradually - Consider keeping synced data and deleting plan only
5. Double-check toggle - Be certain about data removal decision

Performance Optimization

1. Tune transfers - Adjust based on network and storage capabilities
2. Use exclude patterns - Don't sync unnecessary files
3. Monitor sync duration - Track how long syncs take over time
4. Adjust frequency - If syncs are slow, decrease frequency
5. Review logs - Identify bottlenecks and optimize

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Quick Reference

Action	Location	Effect
Sync Now	Plan details / Plan card	Triggers immediate sync
Pause	Plan details header	Stops scheduled syncs
Resume	Plan details header	Reactivates scheduled syncs
Edit	Plan details header	Modify plan settings
Remove	More Options (⋮)	Delete plan (optionally with synced data)
View Logs	More Options (⋮)	Show detailed operation logs
View Changes	Sync history item	See files added/modified/removed
Compare Syncs	Multiple sync history items	Compare changes between sync operations

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Regular monitoring and maintenance keeps your sync plans running smoothly and ensures your data stays synchronized.