zmmailbox fmt=zip vs fmt=tgz

[LHammonds]

I've been doing some testing to handle individual mailbox backup / restore on an Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS with Zimbra 7.1.3 OSE.

There seems to be content differences when specifying zip verses tgz yet there is no documentation that these formats access different content.

Reference: REST API

For example:

/opt/zimbra/bin/zmmailbox -z -m user@mydomain.com getRestURL "?fmt=zip" > /tmp/archive.zip

The above creates a file with the following folders (there are single files in the sub-folders but no files in the root):

archive.zip = 77 kb, (7 folders, 68 files)

Briefcase/
Contacts/
Deleted Messages/
Inbox/
Sent/
Sent Messages/

/opt/zimbra/bin/zmmailbox -z -m user@mydomain.com getRestURL "?fmt=tgz" > /tmp/archive.tgz

The above creates a file with the following folders and files:

archive.tgz = 77 kb, (10 folders, 179 files)

Briefcase/
Calendar
Contacts/
Conversations
Deleted Messages/
Emailed Contacts
Inbox/
Sent/
Sent Messages/
Tasks
00000000011-ROOT.meta
00000000001-USER_ROOT.meta
00000000016-Briefcase.meta
00000000010-Calandar.meta
etc.

I then test what data is actually restored by purging all content in all areas of the account and then issue the following command:

/opt/zimbra/bin/zmmailbox -z -m user@mydomain.com postRestURL "?fmt=zip" /tmp/archive.zip

When I check the account using web mail, I see the inbox messages, sent items, contacts, emailed contacts. Missing Calendar items, tasks and briefcase docs!

I then purge all content in all areas of the account and then issue the following command:

/opt/zimbra/bin/zmmailbox -z -m user@mydomain.com postRestURL "?fmt=tgz" /tmp/archive.tgz

When I check the account using web mail, I see the inbox messages, sent items, contacts, emailed contacts, calendar items, tasks and briefcase files.

Is this a bug or am I misunderstanding how this works?

LHammonds

[ccelis5215]

Well, the diferences between zip and tgz using zmmailbox are mentioned in » Zimbra :: Blog

Not a Zimbra Admin? Users can get the same zip/tar formatter on REST URL’s by visiting:
http:// server.domain.com/home/user?fmt=zip&query=is:anywhere

The zip format has been around for a long time, but doesn’t contain account & item metadata like the tar formatter automatically does:
http:// server.domain.com/home/user/?fmt=tgz

So, you can use tgz with no problem.

Regards.

[LHammonds]

Thanks for the additional link I didn't have before.

Originally Posted by ccelis5215

Well, the diferences between zip and tgz using zmmailbox are mentioned in » Zimbra :: Blog

I already determined what the differences are by trial and error.

The problem is that the existing documentation does not make the distinction that using zip will result in an incomplete backup. They contradict themselves even on the "blog" article you linked to.

Example #1 (from the ZCS to ZCS Migration blog):

Users can get the same zip/tar formatter on REST URL

The zip format has been around for a long time, but doesn’t contain account & item metadata like the tar formatter automatically does

Example #2 (from the API Export Mailbox)

Retrieve the entire mailbox for "john.doe" as ZIP format:

Retrieve the entire mailbox for "john.doe" as Compressed TAR format:

Originally Posted by ccelis5215

So, you can use tgz with no problem.

Through trial and error (thank God I tested it), I ended up using tgz option.

What I do not understand is why the zip option exists and does not actually retrieve the "entire mailbox" like the tgz option does. I cannot find anything that explains "why" the zip option is a subset of tgz or why it is even being mentioned at all as an option when it doesn't actually export the entire mailbox...only the inbox. Also note that "Calendar" and "Tasks" and "Briefcase" are not "account-level information", those are part of the mailbox which I would think should be included in the zip option but cannot be included, even when using the "in:inbox" or "under:inbox" or "in:anywhere" which again is only related to the inbox folder.

LHammonds

[ewilen]

I think you should open a bug about this in bugzilla.zimbra.com. This will bring the issue to the attention of the developers and will either get you a fix, an explanation (though it may be terse),or an update of the documentation.

Please post the bug number here.

[LHammonds]

Originally Posted by ewilen

I think you should open a bug about this in bugzilla.zimbra.com. This will bring the issue to the attention of the developers and will either get you a fix, an explanation (though it may be terse),or an update of the documentation.

Please post the bug number here.

I am working around this problem by avoiding the zip format and thus not interested if they fix it or not.

However, in the interest of anyone else thinking about using it (without testing), I have created bug report 67165.

EDIT: They looked into the problem and found that you have to include a meta data setting for zip to get the same data tgz does. It is listed as a tech documentation problem. Example: ?fmt=zip&meta=1 needs to be used to be the same as ?fmt=tgz (NOTE: I have not tested this though...I would be leary that setting a meta data value would also include calendars, briefcase items, etc. which are not just meta data)

LHammonds