AXIS CloudSync — Reimagined

How LAN Sync Works

When LAN Sync is enabled, AXIS CloudSync agents on the same local area network (LAN) discover each other automatically and coordinate file transfers. Instead of every device downloading a new file from the cloud, one device downloads it and then distributes it to the others on the LAN -- saving significant bandwidth and speeding up sync.

LAN Sync is particularly valuable in office environments where many users share the same network and frequently collaborate on the same files. A 1 GB file that would normally require every workstation to download it individually from the cloud only needs to be downloaded once from the internet -- the rest of the distribution happens over the fast local network.

Note

LAN Sync requires that all agents are connected to the AXIS CloudSync server. It is not designed to support fully offline or air-gapped environments.

Sync Scenarios

Because an agent's file only represents its latest version, LAN Sync takes effect when a new shared file is created within a LAN. The following table describes the three key scenarios:

Scenario	What Happens
A new file is created within the LAN	1. The creating agent syncs with the AXIS CloudSync server. 2. Other agents that need the file sync from agents within the LAN -- not from the cloud.
A new file is created outside the LAN	1. An agent syncs with the AXIS CloudSync server. 2. The new file is distributed across the LAN. The load balancer determines which agent(s) distribute the file.
A new agent joins the LAN	1. The new agent syncs files from other agents already on the LAN, minimizing cloud bandwidth usage.

Technical Details

LAN Sync agents communicate with one another through TCP and UDP ports:

TCP port: Responsible for reliable data transfer. All data transferred over TCP is encrypted.
UDP port: Used for agent discovery and coordination on the local network.
Encryption is applied to all LAN Sync transfers -- the same 256-bit AES encryption used for cloud transfers.
The load balancer determines the optimal distribution path when multiple agents are available.

Tip

If your organization uses a firewall between network segments, ensure that the TCP and UDP ports used by AXIS CloudSync are open between the segments where agents reside. Contact AXIS CloudSync support for the specific port numbers used by your deployment.

Enable LAN Sync

LAN Sync is disabled by default and must be enabled on each agent individually. Follow these steps on each Windows or Mac machine where you want LAN Sync active:

1In the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), click the AXIS CloudSync Tool icon.
2Select Properties. The Properties dialog box opens.
3Click the Bandwidth tab.
4In the Bandwidth tab, check the Enable LAN Sync checkbox. By default, this checkbox is unchecked.
5Click OK or Save to apply the setting.
6LAN Sync is now enabled for this agent. Repeat on all other machines on the same network.

Note

LAN Sync works best when enabled on all agents in the same office. If only some agents have it enabled, those agents will still benefit from LAN Sync with each other, but agents without it enabled will continue to sync directly from the cloud.

Requirements

All agents must be on the same local area network (same subnet or with LAN broadcast reachability).
All agents must be connected to the AXIS CloudSync server -- LAN Sync is not an offline feature.
LAN Sync must be enabled on each agent individually via the Bandwidth tab in Properties.
Firewalls between network segments must allow the TCP and UDP ports used by AXIS CloudSync.
LAN Sync is available on both Windows and Mac desktop clients.

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