Set up synchronization/replication over TCP

Preparation

PeerSync may be installed on any Windows machine involved in the replication process or a separate machine. The requirement is that PeerSync is running on the same network as either the source or target machine and has full access to all files and folders within the PeerSync watch set.

Generally, performance will be optimal when PeerSync is installed on one of the machines where the data resides. The PeerSync Listener (PSListener) tool must be installed on the remote machine where replicating to/from via TCP. For example, if you are using a TCP source, the PSListener is required to run on the source machine and PeerSync on the target or on the same network as the target machine.

PeerSync

Basic configuration

1. In the Folder Selection window, select TCP for the source or target.
2. When you first select the TCP option, the Source or Target TCP/Port Configuration window will open automatically; otherwise click the Configuration button below the TCP path you wish to configure.
3. In the Host Name field, enter the IP address of the remote host.
   The default IP address is your loopback address 127.0.0.1, which represents the machine you are currently on. If the remote machine resides on the same network as that on which PeerSync is running, enter the machine name instead of the IP address.
4. Enter the complete remote folder path in the Path on Host field (e.g., C:\My Documents\Target).
5. (Optional) Select the Port Configuration tab to modify the port settings.
   By default, PeerSync uses port 7333 for TCP and byte level communication. This value needs to be identical to the port number specified in the PSListener Configuration tool running on the remote site. The port number can be any value between 1024 and 65535.
6. (Optional) By default, Encryption is enabled and an internal strong DES cipher is used to encrypt all the data and communication between the two locations. For enhanced security, we recommend you provide a User Name and/or Password as key values.  These values, along with the default cipher will be used by PeerSync’s internal algorithm to encrypt data and communication transmitted over the Internet, LAN, WAN or VPN.  To enter your own key values, fill in the User Name and/or Password field(s). Make sure these values are entered accordingly in the PSListener Configuration tool running on the remote device. Just like the port number, the key values need to be identical on both sides.
7. (Optional) In the ByteReplicator window, select the Use block/byte level synchronization box. This option will enable byte-level replication in a pull and push scenario.  
   Note: This feature requires that your PeerSync license includes the ByteReplicator option.

PeerSync Listener (PSListener)

Start/stop the Listener Service or Application

Perform the following steps on the remote machine. You must install PSListener to proceed. When you install PSListener, you may choose to install and configure it as a service.

The PSListener.exe tool is in the “C:\Windows\SysWOW64” directory by default.

To install the Listener as a Service (skip this if you have done so during the installation process):

1. Go to your C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory.
2. Right-click the PSListener.exe file, and then select Create Shortcuts Here.
3. Right-click on the PSListener shortcut, and then select Properties.
4. Click on the Shortcut tab and type /install at the end of the Target field.
5. Click Apply, and then click then OK.
6. Double-click the PSListener shortcut to run the service installation.

To start/stop the Listener Service

1. Open your Windows Services utility.
2. Right-click on the PSListener Utility Software service, and then, select Start or Stop

To run the Listener as an application

1. Go to your C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory.
2. Double-click on the PSListener.exe file to run the PSListener as an Application.
3. To stop the PSListener application, open the Windows Task Manager, and then terminate the PSListener.exe process.

To uninstall the PSListener Service

1. Stop the PSListener Utility Software service if it is running (open Windows Services, right-click the PSListener Utility Software service, and then select Stop.
2. Go to the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory.
3. Right-click the PSListener.exe file, and then select Create Shortcuts Here.
4. Right-click on the PSListener shortcut, and then select Properties.
5. Click on the Shortcut tab, and then type /uninstall at the end of the Target field.
6. Click Apply, and then click OK.
7. Double-click the PSListener shortcut to uninstall the PSListener service.

PSListener configuration

Perform the following steps on the remote machine. You must install PSListener to proceed. The PSLConfig.exe utility will be in the PeerSync installation folder by default (e.g., “C:\Program Files\PeerSync Listener”).

1. Go to the PeerSync Listener installation folder, and then double-click PSLConfig.exe
2. Check that the TCP Port value is the same as the one specified in your PeerSync Profiler.
3. If you are using encryption, provide the username and/or password keys you specified in your PeerSync Profile. 

4. (Optional) Specify a RootPath if you want the PSListener to behave similar to an FTP server that sets root paths to limit user access to the local file system.
   Entering a path in this field limits PeerSync’s ability to access directories on the remote device. PeerSync will only be able to access directories bellow or at the same level as the specified RootPath if it meets the Port and Encryption requirements. In no circumstances, can PeerSync access directories located above this path. If the remote path you enter in PeerSync references a directory above the RootPath, PeerSync will create that folder structure at runtime below the root path.

   

   Example

   PSListener 'RootPath' = C:\Backup\Users\Admin

   Path in PeerSync = C:\Backup\My Documents

   Actual Remote Path = C:\Backup\Users\Admin\C\Backup\My Documents

   Note: The RootPath value will be ignored when not running in TCP mode (i.e. doing Byte Replication using Local or UNC paths)

5. Increase the CPU Utilization value to High.
6. Save your settings by clicking on the lower right corner of the application or by going to the File menu, and then selecting Save. You may then close or exit the application (this will not terminate PSListener if it is running).
7. Restart the PSListener service or application if you have made any changes to the PSLConfig.exe utility to ensure that the changes take effect.

Troubleshooting

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Problem

Could not initialize target device: TCP:\\190.186.170.170\c$\Testing...

Connection Failure: TCP:\\190.186.170.170\c$\Testing - Job: Replication

(Connection Retry is Enabled!)...

Solution

• Check that Listener is up and running on the target device and is listening on the same port number as PeerSync.
• Check that the user name and/or password used in the PSLConfig utility are the same as the one you entered in the PeerSync Profiler (Folder Selection -> Configure button -> Port Configuration tab).
• Make sure you have a single PSListener running on the remote machine. It is possible that you may have a PSListener running as a service, another as an application, or simply running two different versions. Check the Windows Task Manager for the PSListener.exe process, terminate all instances, and restart the PSListener.
• Save and/or restart PeerSync, PSListener, and the PSLConfig utility, once you modify any settings for them to take effect.

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Problem

PSListener responded with - Update Failure [LockFiles] Error Opening

Handle: C:\Target\Document.doc (The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process) (Added To Retry List)...

Solution

• This message indicates that the target file may not be accessible usually because it is open or being used by another application.
• PeerSync will attempt to update the file on an interval based on your retry settings (Global Settings -> Global Recovery/Offline Options)

TCP replication terminology

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP):  Used along with the Internet Protocol (IP), TCP allows for the creation of connections between hosts over the Internet, LAN, WAN or VPN for the purposes of file backup and synchronization.

Encryption:  The process of converting data into a ciphertext to make it unreadable without the possession of a key or password to decrypt it.

Cipher:  A series of well-defined steps or algorithm used to perform encryption and decryption.

Data Encryption Standard (DES):  Takes a fixed-length string of plain text and converts it through a series of operations into another cipher of the same length. This form of encryption algorithm is recommended and approved by the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS).

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