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Sync Backup Plans Introduction

What is a Sync Backup Plan?​

A sync backup plan keeps a destination path aligned with a source path by running scheduled rclone sync jobs.

In the Pluton UI, this plan type is labeled Real-time Sync. In practice, it is schedule-based, not file-system event based. Pluton registers a schedule for the plan and also starts an initial sync immediately after creation.

Sync plans are best when you want an up-to-date mirror of live data that is directly browsable in the destination storage.

How Sync Plans Differ from Incremental Backups​

Sync Backup Plans​

  • One-way sync from source to destination
  • Destination is updated to match the source
  • Files are directly accessible in the destination storage
  • Optional file revisions can keep older copies before overwrites or deletions
  • Best for active working data and mirrored copies

Incremental Backup Plans​

  • Snapshot-based backups
  • Multiple point-in-time restore points
  • Better suited to long-term retention and rollback
  • Best for archival protection and historical recovery

Use a Sync Plan When​

  • You want a current mirror of a folder
  • You need files to be immediately usable at the destination
  • You want frequent scheduled updates
  • You are syncing active data to cloud or remote storage

Use an Incremental Backup Plan When​

  • You need point-in-time recovery
  • You need longer retention history
  • You want backup-oriented pruning and archival behavior
  • You need stronger protection against accidental deletion or corruption over time

What Sync Plans Currently Do​

Scheduled One-Way Synchronization​

  • Sync runs on the interval you configure
  • Source changes are copied to the destination
  • Source deletions are also reflected at the destination
  • Manual edits at the destination can be overwritten or removed by the next sync

Immediate First Run​

  • After creation, Pluton schedules the plan
  • The first sync starts right away
  • Later runs follow the saved schedule

Optional File Revisions​

  • When revisions are enabled, replaced or deleted files are moved under .pluton/revisions in the destination
  • Revision retention is age-based
  • Active sync plans with revisions enabled are cleaned up by a daily background revision cleanup job
  • You can also run manual cleanup from the plan actions

Change Tracking and History​

  • Each sync task records whether files were added, modified, or removed
  • Plan details show sync history and recorded file changes
  • The number of stored change entries per sync is capped by the plan setting for tracked file changes

Progress and Cancellation​

  • Active syncs expose live transfer statistics
  • You can monitor bytes transferred, speed, checks, transfers, and ETA
  • Running syncs can be cancelled from the plan details page

Manual Integrity Checks​

  • In Pluton PRO, sync plans can be checked on demand with Check Integrity
  • This compares source and destination and reports differences
  • Sync integrity checks are currently manual for sync plans, not scheduled automatically

Local and Remote Devices​

  • The source can be the main Pluton server or a remote device with Pluton Agent
  • The destination can be any storage backend supported through Rclone

Important Current Behavior​

  • Sync plans are not bidirectional
  • Sync plans are not event-driven real-time watchers
  • Current sync execution uses one effective source path per plan; if you need multiple unrelated roots, create multiple sync plans
  • Source device and storage backend are fixed after creation
  • Pausing a plan pauses scheduled runs; it does not delete existing synced data

How a Sync Plan Runs​

Typical Use Cases​

Working Folder Mirror​

  • Keep a documents or projects folder synced to cloud storage

Offsite Current Copy​

  • Maintain a current offsite mirror for fast access during device loss or outage

Remote Device Collection​

  • Pull active data from a remote Pluton Agent managed device into centralized storage

Sync with Revision Safety​

  • Mirror a live folder while still keeping previous versions for recently changed files

Best Practices​

  1. Use sync plans for live copies, not for long-term history.
  2. Create separate plans for separate source roots.
  3. Enable revisions for user-created content that changes often.
  4. Use exclude patterns to skip caches, temp files, and dependency folders.
  5. Review the first sync carefully before relying on the destination.
  6. Run periodic manual integrity checks for critical sync plans.
  7. Pair important sync plans with an incremental backup plan if you also need snapshot history.

Choosing Between Sync and Backup​

Use sync plans when your priority is a current mirrored copy.

Use incremental backups when your priority is historical recovery.

For important data, many teams use both: a sync plan for quick access to the latest files, and an incremental backup plan for rollback and retention.

Next Steps​

For technical details about Rclone, visit the official documentation: Rclone