[CarolineW]

I've written a script that every minute tests to see if the appropriate rsync command is running. If not, it simply runs it again. In that way it effectively restarts and gracefully resumes.

This Google search:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rsync+auto-restart+failed+...

returns this link:

http://superuser.com/questions/302842/resume-rsync-over-ssh-...

which contains this script:

    #!/bin/bash

    while [ 1 ]
    do
        rsync -avz --partial source dest
        if [ "$?" = "0" ] ; then
            echo "rsync completed normally"
            exit
        else
            echo "Rsync failure. Backing off and retrying..."
            sleep 180
        fi
    done

The comment says:

    When the connection dies, rsync will quit
    with a non-zero exit code. This script simply
    keeps re-running rsync, letting it continue
    until the synchronisation completes normally.

That's pretty much what I've done.

[kraemate]

Wow, thanks for the script. Surprising in its simplicity. I would have thought this use-case was popular enough to warrant specialized tools etc. Especially in the scientific community where they transfer large files.

[CarolineW]

It's simple enough that it's the sort of thing I type out in 30 seconds and there it is. No need for specialist tools - finding the tool, remembering how to use it, working out the right parameters ...

Easier, faster, and more flexible just to write the script. It's what I do.