---
name: "cyrus-sync_server"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "cyrus-replication"
version: "3.10.2-1+deb13u2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cyrus-sync_server"
---

# cyrus-sync\_server(8)

Cyrus IMAP documentation Server side of the synchronization (replication) engine

## NAME

sync\_server - Cyrus IMAP documentation

Server side of the synchronization (replication) engine

## SYNOPSIS

```
sync_server [ -C config-file ] [ -p ssf]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**sync\_server** *is the server side of the replication system.  It* *runs on the target (replica) system and listens for connections from* *[sync\_client(8)](/sync_client/8.md) which provides instructions for synchronizing* *the replica system with the master system.*

**sync\_server** *reads its configuration options out of the [imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md) file unless specified otherwise by* **-C***.*

## OPTIONS

- **-C config-file**

  *Use the specified configuration file config-file rather than the default [imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md).*

- **-p ssf**

  *Tell* **sync\_server** *that an external layer exists.  An SSF (security* *strength factor) of 1 means an integrity protection layer exists.* *Any higher SSF implies some form of privacy protection.*

## EXAMPLES

**sync\_server** *is commonly included in the SERVICES section of* *[cyrus.conf(5)](/cyrus.conf/5.md) like so:*

```
SERVICES {
    imap        cmd="imapd -U 30" listen="imap" prefork=0
    imaps       cmd="imapd -s -U 30" listen="imaps" prefork=0 maxchild=100
    pop3        cmd="pop3d -U 30" listen="pop3" prefork=0
    pop3s       cmd="pop3d -s -U 30" listen="pop3s" prefork=0 maxchild=100
    lmtpunix    cmd="lmtpd" listen="/var/run/cyrus/socket/lmtp" prefork=0 maxchild=20
    sieve       cmd="timsieved" listen="sieve" prefork=0
    notify      cmd="notifyd" listen="/var/run/cyrus/socket/notify" proto="udp" prefork=1
    httpd       cmd="httpd" listen=8080 prefork=1 maxchild=20
    syncserver  cmd="sync_server" listen="csync"
}
```

## FILES

**/etc/imapd.conf,** **/etc/cyrus.conf**

## SEE ALSO

*[sync\_client(8)](/sync_client/8.md)***,** *[imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md)***,** *[cyrus.conf(5)](/cyrus.conf/5.md)*

## AUTHOR

**The Cyrus Team, David Carter (dpc22@cam.ac.uk), Ken Murchison (ken@oceana.com), Nic Bernstein (Onlight)**

## COPYRIGHT

**1993–2025, The Cyrus Team**