Does Groove really use binary diff for file sharing?

[Rajesh Akkineni]

Does Groove really use "Binary Diff" Technology as it is mentioned in some
documents available on internet regarding groove?

I tried to test it by changind 2 bytes of an 100MB file. Even then it
sends all the 100MB file across the network. (I was refering to File
Sharing Space. not File Tool)

Is there any specific situation where it will use the Binary Diff
technology?

Thanks
Rajesh Akkineni

 

[GWON]

Groove Binary Diff is a hit or miss benefit. Groove File Sharing Spaces and
the Files Tool both use the same subsystem to handle binary diffs. They
behave in the following way.

The location of the change in file will affect how big the diff is;
If you append data, that will send only the new end of the file. This
results in a small diff.

If you change existing data, i.e. change a letter to a new letter, only that
change will be sent. Also a small diff.

If you insert data, all of the file after the insert, including the insert
will be sent. Depending on the location of the insert, this could result in
a large diff.
Enter the problem, the instruction for a diff can often be larger than the
change, resulting in multiple lines of information to communicate the details
of a change. Look at the output of any Diff tool to see what I mean.

Groove Binary diffs are not compressed. Whole file transfers are
compressed. In theory, a 1 byte insert at the right place in a compressible
document (Word Doc) could result in a delta that is many times larger than
the traffic caused by simply resending the whole document all over again.

 

[Rajesh Akkineni]

It seems that my experiment results contradict your explanation of how it
works.

I have changed last 1 byte of 100mb file. And the file is a zip file. So
there can not be any factor of change even if it is compressed.

According to what you said only 1 byte of data must be sent. But it turns
out that groove is sending trafic around 100mb again.

How do you explain this? Is ther any setting to turn of the Diff
functionality?

Thanks
Rajesh