2

I use rsync to backup files to a remote server in a UNIX environment. As my local machine is the only one with write access to the backup files, I know the status of the backup files on the remote machine will not change between my backup cycles.

Can I use this knowledge to avoid comparing the files over the network each time I run my backup? Like storing a local manifest after each backup and comparing the local file system to that manifest instead of the remote filesystem? If rsync can't do this, is there another piece of software, that can?

I am looking for something similar to the --listed-incremental option for tar.

Note: The same question applies to one of my deployment scripts, where I know that the remote files won't change between deployments.

Edit to clarify the difference to #481295:

Question #481295 asks whether the rsync scan speed can somehow be improved. My question is more specific as it states that the remote server files will not change if I do not run my backup. Can I use this piece of information to make the comparing of the file list a local process. (Manifest, …?)

5
  • And of interest might be rsnapshot.org
    – HBruijn
    Jun 24, 2015 at 6:43
  • I had a look at rsnapshot, but as far as I can tell it compares the local data against the remote data via the network link and not against a manifest that it keeps on the source server. What I am looking for is more like tars --listed-incremental option. Jun 24, 2015 at 10:19
  • If you're only adding back-ups: simply run rsync in batch mode and use something like find to generate the batch e.g. find -print0 <options> | rsync --files-from=- --from0 <options> but the deleting requires verification of the actual remote state.
    – HBruijn
    Jun 24, 2015 at 11:28
  • I was asked whether this is duplicate of serverfault.com/questions/481295 and to my eyes it is not. 481295 asks whether the rsync scan speed can somehow be improved. My question is more specific as it states that the remote server files will not be touched otherwise and whether I can use this piece of information to make the comparing of the file list a local process. (Manifest, …?) I read the other question and its answers, but they are not the same. I edited my question to make clearer how they differ. Jun 29, 2015 at 6:57
  • @HBrujin: Thank you for your suggestion with find. What options do I need to determine which of my files changed locally between the backup cycles? Jun 29, 2015 at 7:01

0

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .