Craig Barratt wrote:
> You're right.
>
> Each file in the pool is only compressed once, at the current
> compression level.  Matching pool files is done by comparing
> uncompressed file contents, not compressed files.
>
> It's done this way because compression is typically a lot more
> expensive than uncompressing.  Changing the compression level
> will only apply to new additions to the pool.
>
> To benchmark compression ratios you could remove all the files
> in the pool between runs, but of course you should only do that
> on a test setup, not a production installation.
>
>   

I know backuppc will sometimes need to re-transfer a file (for instance, 
if it is a 2nd copy in another location.)  I assume it then 
re-compresses it on the re-transfer, as my understanding is the 
compression happens as the file is written to disk.(?)  

Would it make sense to add to the enhancement request list the ability 
to replace the existing file in the pool with the new file contents if 
the newly compressed/transferred file is smaller?  I assume this could 
be done during the pool check at the end of the backup... then if some 
backups use a higher level of compression, the smallest version of the 
file is always preferred (ok, usually preferred, because the transfer is 
avoided with rsync if the file is in the same place as before.)

Rich

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