[Box Backup] Working towards 0.08

[Ben Summers]

On 14 Sep 2004, at 13:24, Joris wrote:

>
>> Is there anything else which should definitely go in? I'd prefer to do
>> small changes, and then larger work after the release of 0.08.
>
> At some point, you should be able to freeze the storage method and not
> touch it again 'till the next major version. Same counts for the 
> protocol.

This will happen when I'm happy enough to do a version 1.00.

Right now there's not much that could change resulting in incompatibly. 
All formats are extensible in a backwards compatible manner to some 
degree. The only thing which might change things is supporting sparse 
files and multiple streams nicely -- these might need to change things 
to do it properly. (However, it can support two or more formats in 
parallel, so your old data stores don't get wiped out. It does this at 
the moment.)


> I still haven't looked into it very much, since I was occupied with 
> very
> pressing matters, and I'm not a crypto specialist. So some of these
> suggestions will sound rather stupid. I touched them lightly in a 
> previous
> mail also.
>
>
> 1) Make the disk storage atomic. A file/volume is fully changed or 
> isn't
> changed at all. At any point in time I should be able to pull the power
> plug of the server and not have the risk of losing data by having
> half-changed data. Implementable in filesystem level by copying every
> edited file to a temp version, then issuing a move command once 
> everything
> is complete.

It already does this. Writing of files is atomic. Worse errors can be 
recovered automatically by the server. And if really bad things happen, 
the check and fix program can get all recoverable data back for you.

>
> 2) Implement the backup pool system, where all backups made by clients 
> are
> passed on to other servers. Preferably in a way only one version exists
> across the servers (see point one).

Yes, this is something which is designed but not implemented.

>
> 3) I don't know what your point of view is on independant development 
> nor
> what your financial situation is alike, but a tip jar on the site 
> meight
> fill rapidly...

Perhaps. I was just trying to get some indication of whether it would 
reach the required total -- I wouldn't want to ask if there was no 
chance of using tips for the stated purpose.

Ben