borgbackup/borg

"sparse" block devices

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#5,609 opened on Jan 3, 2021

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Description

for files on supporting filesystems, we have the SEEK_HOLE/SEEK_DATA api.

but this does not apply to block devices, we need something else to detect unused blocks in these.

For block devices, sometimes another API is supported:

Since recently, borg fixed blocksize chunker can accept a sparse map / file map, but there is no way yet to build that map for a block device.

Related to #14.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Study the reference script for nbd BLOCK STATUS and explore similar APIs for other block devices. Then design a way to build a sparse map for block devices and integrate it with borg's chunker.
Tech stack
python
Domain
backend
Issue type
Feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Mostly clear
Prerequisites
PythonGit
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70