Subversion Rollback After svnadmin Upgrade: Can We Safely Revert to a Prior Repository Format?
0 reputation · 25 Oct 2023, 05:23 UTC
Rollback Safety After svnadmin Upgrade
Goal: Determine whether a Subversion repository that has been upgraded with svnadmin upgrade can be returned to its previous repository format without losing data or corrupting the repository. Constraints: The upgrade changes the FSFS format to a newer version that older Subversion binaries cannot read, and Subversion documentation states that upgrades are one‑way. Uncertainty: It is unclear whether a backup taken before the upgrade can be restored after new revisions have been committed, and whether such a restoration would preserve the full revision history or leave the repository in an inconsistent state. Remaining unresolved decision: Should the Subversion project implement a safe downgrade path that preserves post‑upgrade revisions?
Questions:
- Is there a documented method to revert a repository to its pre‑upgrade format without losing revisions committed after the upgrade?
- What conditions, if any, allow a safe downgrade of an FSFS repository?
- Can a hotcopy taken before upgrade be restored after new revisions have been committed to preserve all history?
