file statistics collection using stat(2) data obtained by rsync

[Hugo Connery]

Hi,

I'm using rsync + hard-link copy as a backup mechanism (happily :-) and wish now to collect file usage statistics per user per rsync operation.  rsync must preform a stat(2) or eqiuvalent on each file to determine if it needs to access the file content for synchronisation, and I would like to 'piggy back' my statistics on the stat(2) details that rsync has collected (and thus avoid generating all those stat(2)s again with another directory heirarchy traversal).

Has this been done?  Is there an 'API' for plugging in a file statistics collector?

Assuming that this is not a poor design consideration and that no existing mechanism exists, I will happy write this.  In which case, I would like to ask if others would be interested in this, and if so, what sort of statistics collection they would be interested in.

[my concept is to collect file totals into access time slots (e.g (0-3), (3-6), (6-12), (12-36), 36 + month slots) per user and dump this data to file for collection by a tool to then deliver it to RRDTool for pretty graphs].

Thanks in advance, and regards,

--
Hugo Connery
IT Administrator, Institute of Environment & Resources, DTU
http://www.er.dtu.dk