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data-box-copy-data-and-metadata.md

File metadata and controls

91 lines (59 loc) · 4.1 KB
author stevenmatthew
ms.service azure-databox
ms.topic include
ms.date 11/18/2022
ms.author shaas

Copying data and metadata

To transfer the ACLs, timestamps, and attributes for your data, use the following procedures to copy data into the Data Box.

Windows data copy tool

To copy data to your Data Box via SMB, use an SMB-compatible file copy tool such as robocopy. The following sample command copies all files and directories, transferring metadata along with the data.

When using the /copyall or /dcopy:DAT option, make sure the required Backup Operator privileges aren't disabled. For more information, see Use the local web UI to administer your Data Box and Data Box Heavy.

robocopy <Source> <Target> * /copyall /e /dcopy:DAT /B /r:3 /w:60 /is /nfl /ndl /np /MT:32 or 64 /fft /log+:<LogFile>

where

Option Description
/copyall Copies all attributes.
/e Copies subdirectories, including empty directories.
/dcopy:DAT Copies data, attributes, and timestamps. Note: The /dcopy:DAT option must be used to transfer CreationTime on directories.
/B Copies files in Backup mode.
/r:3 Specifies 3 retries on failed copies.
/w:60 Specifies a wait time of 60 seconds between retries.
/is Includes the same files.
/nfl Does not log file names.
/ndl Does not log directory names.
/np Does not display progress of the copying operation.
/MT:32 or 64 Uses multithreading, with 32 or 64 threads.
/fft Reduces time stamp granularity for any file system.
/log+:<LogFile> Appends the output to the existing log file.

For more information on these robocopy parameters, see Tutorial: Copy data to Azure Data Box via SMB

Note

If you use /copyall to copy your data, the source ACLs on directories and files are transferred to Azure Files. If you only had read-access on your source data and could not modify the source data, you'll have read-access only on the data in the Data Box. Use /copyall only if you intend to copy all the ACLs on the directories and files along with the data.

Use robocopy to list, copy, modify files on Data Box

Here are some of the common scenarios you use when copying data using robocopy.

  • Copy only data to Data Box, no ACLs on directories and files

    Use the /dcopy:DAT option to only copy data, attributes, timestamps. ACLs on directories and files aren't copied.

  • Copy data and ACLs on directories and files to Data Box

    Use /copyall to copy all the source data including all the ACLs on directories and files.

  • List the filesystem on Data Box using robocopy

    Use this command to list directory contents:

    robocopy <source-dir> NULL /l /s /xx /njh /njs /fp /B

    Note that the File Explorer doesn't allow you to list these files.

  • Copy or delete folders and files on Data Box

    Use this command to copy a single file:

    robocopy <source-dir> <destination-dir> <file-name> /B

    Use this command to delete a single file:

    robocopy <source-dir> <destination-dir> <file-name> /purge /B

    In the above command, the <source-dir> should not have the file: <file-name>. Then, the above command syncs the destination with the source, resulting in the removal of the file from the destination.

    Note that the File Explorer may not allow you to perform the above operations.

For more information, see Using robocopy commands.

Linux data copy tools

Transferring metadata in Linux is a two-step process. First, you copy the source data using a tool such as rsync, which doesn't copy metadata. After you copy the data, you can copy the metadata using a tool such as smbcacls or cifsacl.

The following sample commands do the first step, copying the data using rsync.

cp -aR /etc /opt/ 
rsync -avP /etc /opt (-a copies a directory)