Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2023 09:51:47 +0100 From: Miroslav Lachman <000.fbsd@quip.cz> To: d@delphij.net, freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Proposal: Disable compression of newsyslog by default Message-ID: <8a585a40-0e78-4dbd-9701-aa0926ccde19@quip.cz> In-Reply-To: <ace7d170-acd1-4dc8-8016-a08c261d91f0@delphij.net> References: <ace7d170-acd1-4dc8-8016-a08c261d91f0@delphij.net>
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On 23/12/2023 08:18, Xin Li wrote: > Hi, > > Inspired by D42961, I propose that we move forward with disabling the > compression by default in newsyslog, as implemented in > https://reviews.freebsd.org/D43169 > > Historically, newsyslog has compressed rotated log files to save disk > space. This approach was valuable in the early days where storage space > was limited. However, the landscape has changed significantly. Modern > file systems, such as ZFS, now offer native compression capabilities. > Additionally, the widespread availability of larger hard drives has > diminished the necessity for additional compression. Notably, the need > to decompress log files for pattern searches poses a significant > inconvenience, further questioning the utility of this legacy feature. > > In commit 906748d208d3, flags J, X, Y, Z can now indicate that a log > file is eligible for compression rather than directly enforcing it. It > allows for a more flexible approach, wherein the actual compression > method can be set to "none" or specified as one among bzip2, gzip, xz, > or zstd. > > Therefore I would propose that we change the default compression setting > to "none" in FreeBSD 15.0. This change reflects our adaptation to the > evolving technological environment and user needs. It also aligns with > the broader initiative to modernize our systems while maintaining > flexibility and efficiency. > > I look forward to your thoughts and feedback on this proposal. I don't think anything needs to be changed on newsyslog. Those who want to disable compression can do so in the "default" newsyslog.conf file. Why force this change in the newsyslog code? I also don't think that the log file should not be compressed even on a compressed filesystem. Compressed log files can be handled by tools like zcat, zless, zgrep, etc. without first decompressing the log file. Text log files can still grow to large sizes, and if you have a daily backup job over a long distance network, if you use a protocol without own compression, it is still better to have compressed log files than uncompressed on a compressed filesystem. To me, it's the same as compressing large database dumps and not relying on filesystem compression. YMMV, but I really don't see any benefit of changing the newsyslog code, just change defaults in newsyslog.conf. Kind regards Miroslav Lachman
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