[rdiff-backup-users] multiple archive hardlink space saving?

[Joshua Jensen]

Are there any provisions for hard link savings for backing up many
similar machines?

I ask because I have 2000 (yes, two thousand) machines to back up.  At
least 90% of data is the same... basic Linux filesystems, mostly / and
/var and /usr partitions.

I wonder if it would be worthwhile to add a feature to rdiff-backup
that would look to hardlink files that different rdiff-backup archives
have in common?



Right now, the hard link savings is only per machine's, say, /usr
partition.  Sure, the incremental backup from the same machine
benefits from this; only any differences are recorded.

But right next to that archive directory on the backup server I have a
thousand other machines with a /usr archive that is mostly if not
entirely identical.  Why not have the option to make rdiff-backup
be able to use some sort of higher level "all these archives can share
hardlinks" capability?  The space saving would be staggering for
multihost backups.




-- 
Joshua Jensen
joshua aatttt joshuajensen ddooottt org

"Some people are like Slinkies, not really good for anything... but
they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs."