Mirror Zip Decompression

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cyberws

Mirror Zip Decompression

Post by cyberws »

Hello,

I use Mirror backup and at times it takes a really long time because the software spends to much time grabbing a file, checking it, sending over network (which takes no time), closing down connection, close file, etc. I have talked with several of my fellow IT buddies about this and they say the software must not be handling this in an optimal way. They explain how more advanced software handles this and I realize Backup4All could be made to do it too.

Here is what happens to speed up the process:

1) Mirror is selected and runs. Software notes which files need to be backed up.
2) A checksum is run against all files
3) Files that are to be backed up are added to a zip/tar/something (compressed or not) with full paths included and then in one large block transferred to the backup medium
4) Files are then unzipped/untarred (decompressed too if necessary) on destination
5) Checksums are run against destination to verify data and paths are verified
6) Zip on source is deleted
7) If necessary any files that failed go back through the process. Now you have a full mirror on destination that took a fraction of the time.

This is by far MUCH MUCH faster. I have backups take days and days and my IT buddies tell me they backup far more data in hours using this method. They do note most software that does this allows for the setting of max zip/tar size so source isn't overwhelmed. That way if you need to backup 40 Gigs and only have 20 Gigs free on source you can say set the backup program to run in batches of say a 1 Gig and it will run around 40 times before completing the backup job. This is similar to copying a DVD to the hard drive from a source then dumping the data to a new DVD and deleting the image.

I really like Backup4All for not having this option is killing our backups as it just takes to long with this software to backup hundreds of thousands of files using Mirror. Obviously there are multiple ways to do this as I said you could use zip, tar, or even an ISO. I know that is how our server backups run too. They all the files transfer them and then untar on destination so we have a one to one copy but it takes far less time.

Thanks!

Jeremy

Adrian (Softland)
Posts: 1914
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:46 pm

Re: Mirror Zip Decompression

Post by Adrian (Softland) »

Hi,

What should be done in the case some large files (that do not compress at all) will be backed up?
Backup4all will spend a lot of time with the files being locally zipped and then unzipped in destination.

For the scenario you suggested, I would recommend you to use the Incremental backup type as it will zip the files and keep them zipped in destination. The split features also applies to Incremental backups.
Do you know you can monitor your backups remotely with Backup4all Monitor? You can read more here: https://www.backup4all.com/backup4all-monitor.html

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