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Exclude recreatable container data from Time Machine - #2412
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Sparse image snapshots and container root filesystems make backups stall and can trigger thinning. Volume data stays included.
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The exclusion is applied only when snapshots or containers is created. Setting it again on every start replaced a directory a person had included in backups. The docs now describe that exclusion for backup software in general, not only Time Machine.
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Motivation and Context
Fixes #2406.
Image snapshots and container root filesystems are large sparse files. Backup software that honors the exclusion attribute, including Time Machine, backs them up slowly, and that can trigger thinning of older backups. Both can be recreated by pulling the image or creating the container again.
snapshots/andcontainers/receive the sticky backup exclusion only when those directories are first created. An existing directory is left unchanged, so a person who includes it in backups again keeps that choice. Named volume data undervolumes/stays included.Testing
swift test --filter testNewDirectoryIsExcludedAndExistingChoiceIsKeptpassed. The test checks that a newly created directory is excluded, that a siblingvolumes/directory is left alone, and that clearing the exclusion and ensuring the directory again does not put the exclusion back.