Transfer large files over a network

Rsync method

rsync -avzh --progress /path/to/source destination-ip:/path/on/dest

• a - "Archive mode" which equals -rlptgoD.
• v - Verbose.
• z - Compress data being sent.
• h - Human readable format.

Netcat method

Netcat is a simple UNIX utility that reads and writes data across network connections using TCP or UDP protocol. Tar is a command-line archiving tool, and Pv stands for pipe viewer, which is used to monitor the progress of data.

NOTE: All the commands need to be run at root.

Required packages: netcat, tar, and pv.

On the receiving node, run the following command:

netcat -l -p 7000 | pv | tar x

On the sending node, run the following command:

tar cf - * | pv | netcat 192.168.1.105 7000

Here 192.168.1.105 is the internal ip address of the destination system. tar cf - * will compress everything in the current working directory as a copy and the files will be extracted at the other end.