SSH: running multi-day processes

[misterprimus]

Let's say I need to run rsync, but my network is not stable enough to guarantee I will stay connected for the two days it takes the command to complete. I heard I could use screen for this. Can someone confirm and give me a rundown of how it would work for someone running a command on Friday, logging out of SSH a minute later, and logging back in to check on the task on Monday?

 

[osprey]

screen allows the user to detach a process, have it run in the background, and reconnect at some time later. It's just a matter of using the relevant commands.