rsync (or rsync-like tool) provides local metadata cache ?

[Jason Usher]

Let's say I have a slow, or high latency (or both) link between two hosts, and transferring data is expensive.

Is it possible with rsync (or any other tool like rsync) to maintain a local metadata cache, such that I can rsync without transferring data to and from the hosts about what files are already in place ?

That is, I already "know" what is out there and don't need to check anything - I can just use the state information on the sending end to send only the data required, and don't need to traverse the remote filesystem for sizes/datestamps/hashes/etc.

Does this exist ?