Backup Wizard Compressions

[efcharvet 0]

TMG v7 FIVE different speeds of Backup Compressions: Superfast, Fast, Normal, Slower, and Slowest.

 

This seems like a lot (shouldn't two be sufficient?), but there must be a good reason for it since some went to the effort to code this.

 

Is there any reason "Superfast" should not be checked? Is there potential for data loss or a "bad" compression if Superfast is selected? Are there other risks to think about.

 

Is Slowest safest?

 

I am running Windows 7 with an Intel i7 processor, with a 10,000 name TMG database. I see no real difference at all between the speeds.

 

Is this for TMG users with 8 million to 80 million name databases?

 

Thanks for your reply.

Earl

[Jim Byram 0]

I use the default 'Normal' and see no reason ever to change it.

 

Most ZIP archive programs have an option for varying degrees of compression and use different algorithms for each.

[Terry Reigel 0]

TMG v7 FIVE different speeds of Backup Compressions: Superfast, Fast, Normal, Slower, and Slowest.

Is there any reason "Superfast" should not be checked? Is there potential for data loss or a "bad" compression if Superfast is selected? Are there other risks to think about.

The reason for various "speeds" is really to give users an opportunity to exchange the size of the resulting backup file for speed of completing the backup. There is no difference in reliability. With both fast computers and cheap hard disk space these days, it probably doesn't matter a lot.

 

I use "normal" unless I plan to send the backup to someone, in which case I use "slowest" to get the smallest file to transfer.

[efcharvet 0]

Terry, based on your comments, "slowest" makes the most compressed file and "superfast" makes the least compressed file, which I had assumed would be true. It also appears file integrity is not an issue no matter which speed is selected, which I had hoped.

 

The file size difference must be measurably significant for you to go through the effort or selecting "slowest" rather than using the "normal" default compression when you want to send a file, Terry.

 

I will keep this in mind, although you didn't quantify the amount of benefit.

 

Thanks for your replies,

Earl

[Terry Reigel 0]

You're welcome, Earl.

 

The truth is I've never looked at the difference in size - I don't know whether it actually makes a significant difference - it's just easy to change the setting when making a backup to be sent to someone, so I do it on the theory that it should help.

[Helmut Leininger 0]

Earl,

 

the difference in size depends much on what is included in the backup. If you have many already "packed" files (such as .jpg images) the gain will probably be less compared to configurations with mainly "text" (or text processor) files.