Sync is a good way to ensure that the files are in two or more locations and kept in pace. You may wonder “what is sync” and how does it work. Then, this post provides detailed information about sync for you. Now, keep on your reading.
What Is Sync
What is sync? Sync is the process of copying files and folders from one device to one or more destination devices to ensure an exact copy. If synchronization between two devices is a normal operation, all files that have been deleted from the source device since the last synchronization will be deleted from the target device.
Importance of Sync
If you think data is important, sync is important to you. Your data is precious and should always be kept safe and retrievable. By synchronizing and backing up relevant data on your device, you can use it safely in the future.
Sync also provides you with a platform to back up your data to places where you only need to access them. So you will also get backup and security. Sync can save your time and money.
You can set synchronization to only synchronize files that need to be replaced or files in a specific area. If the changes are small, only a few files need to be mirrored. The synchronization will be completed in the blink of an eye.
Applications of Sync
Nowadays, you can synchronize and share most information online. You can synchronize instant messages, documents, files, emails, contacts, calendars, and even everything in your browser settings.
For example, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox provide built-in support to automatically synchronize bookmarks, history, and passwords. No matter which device you use, you can browse the Web in this way.
Another common example of synchronization is phone contacts. Since most smartphones have a synchronization function to a computer or service provider server, when you add contacts to the phone and then synchronize, the latest contact list will be displayed on the phone and the computer.
If you want to sync and store files, OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive all provide cloud storage, allowing you to easily back up and access files from any location where you can access the Internet. Besides, there is a piece of free and professional software – MiniTool ShadoaMaker for you to do the sync task.
Types of Sync
There are different types of sync.
Fast Sync (Two-way Sync)
Two-way sync, also known as fast sync, is a normal synchronization mode in which the client and server exchange changes to their stored data. The initial slow sync is used to populate the data on the client.
Slow Sync
Slow sync is similar to fast sync. The difference is that all items in the client database are compared with all items in the server database on a field-by-field basis. If the client and server data do not match or the client or server loses its information, you can request slow sync.
One-way Sync from Client
This is half of the two-way synchronization. In this mode, the client sends changes to its data storage to the server. The server will update its data store appropriately, but will not send changes to its data store to the client.
Refresh Sync from Client
In this mode, the client exports all its data to the server. The server is expected to replace all its data with the data sent by the client.
One-way Sync from Server
This is the other half of two-way sync. In this mode, the server sends changes to its data storage to the client. The client will update its data store appropriately, but will not send changes to its data store to the server.
Refresh Sync from Server
In this mode, the server exports all its data from the database to the client. The client should replace all its data with the data sent by the server.
How Does Sync Work
How does sync work? The synchronization is mainly handled by software-you only need two devices to synchronize. As more and more technological advancements have simplified synchronization in recent years, synchronization should be a simple and automated process.
Many modern devices and gadgets have synchronization features to prevent users from losing data and enable them to access data from multiple locations.
Final Words
To sum up, this post introduces the definition, advantages, applications as well as the importance of sync. Besides, you can know how it works and the types of it.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Having been an editor at MiniTool since graduating college as an English major, Daisy specializes in writing about data backups, disk cloning, and file syncing as well as general computer knowledge and issues. In her free time, Daisy enjoys running and going with friends to the amusement park.