[CentOS] [OT] Using rsync to backup / restore - when to use (or not use) the -H option switch?

Wed Feb 11 17:13:45 UTC 2015
Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com>

On Wed, Feb 11, 2015 at 11:02 AM, Francis Gerund <ranrund at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello.
>
> After some reading, including the rsync man page, I am still not clear on
> this:
> When using rsync to backup and restore, when should and when should one
> *not*
> include hard links (by using the -H option switch)?
>
> A simple example case would be backups for one or just a few light-duty
> local workstations. Is there a simple, clear rule about that, or is it  too
> complicated for that?

Use it unless the resulting backup run is too slow to be practical -
which will only be when there are vast numbers of hardlinks in the
filesystem which is pretty rare (backuppc's archive, for example).
That is, if you don't know whether or not you need it you are better
off retaining as much of the original filesystem attributes as
possible in your backups.  But, keep in mind that it can only
reproduce the hardlinks that exist in the portion of the filesystem
that is covered in one run.   If you do multiple runs covering
different subdirectories, it can't duplicate hardlinks outside of each
run.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
     lesmikesell at gmail.com