[Server-devel] Weird timestamps on XS 0.4 user backup directories.

[Douglas Bagnall]

hi Bill

> So I've got an XS 0.4 system running and I have an XO running 8.2
> registered with the server and automated backups seem to be happening
> fine.  If I log onto the server and look at the XOs backup directory I
> see the following:
[...]
> drwxr-xr-x+ 3 CSN74800E35 CSN74800E35 4096 2008-10-14 20:00
> datastore-2008-10-20_17:31
> drwxr-xr-x+ 3 CSN74800E35 CSN74800E35 4096 2008-10-14 20:00
> datastore-2008-10-21_00:15
[...]
> You'll notice that each of the datastore backup directories have
> exactly the same modification timestamp (2008-10-14 20:00).  The
> change time stamps on the other hand are consistent with
> the names.  Is there a reason for this?  Why that particular date/time
> for the mod time?

The backup directories are created with cp -al, where the -a (for
"archive") recursively preserves modes, links and dates.  I'm pretty
sure the main intention was to keep modes and links, and dates are
just an artifact.  If it is causing problems you could argue for a
change.

The -l, btw, turns every copy into a hard link, so duplicates use no
extra space -- it becomes a copy-on-write backup.


Douglas