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Zsync: Client side Rsync over HTTP (e.g. HTTP diffs?) (moria.org.uk)
3 points by bengebre on Jan 5, 2010 | hide | past | favorite | 4 comments



zsync uses the rsync algorithm, but runs it on the client side, thus avoiding the high server load associated with rsync...All that is needed is an HTTP/1.1-compliant web server.

although it does require one thing on the server side it seems:

zsync downloads are offered by building a .zsync file, which contains the meta-data needed by zsync. This file contains the precalculated checksums for the rsync algorithm; it is generated on the server, once, and is then used by any number of downloaders.

Interesting idea for reducing bandwidth on large, frequently polled files.


I believe the metadata file could equally well be generated on the client side, as long as it's stored on the server.



Whoops. Thanks for pointing that out. Funny it came up just recently. I just happened upon it randomly today.




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