Merge pull request #8: Release 0.9.4-beta.5

Restore and deep verify: read a pack as one stream; pipelined SFTP reads

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,38 @@ the app store accepts a `-beta` suffix, but Nextcloud servers then only offer th
 beta/daily update channel, which would hide the app from most admins. The stability stage is
 instead carried by the app description, the git tag, the release, and this file.
 
+## [0.9.4-beta.5] - 2026-10-09
+
+Bugfix release: faster restores.
+
+### Fixed
+- Restores and `occ backup:verify --deep` fetched every blob with its own request, so on a
+  remote location they ran far below the speed of the connection. The blobs of a pack are now
+  read from one open stream, in the order they were written. Restoring 86 MB in 202 files from a
+  Hetzner Storage Box over SMB went from 0.78 MB/s to 4.2 MB/s, the speed of reading the packs
+  as plain files over that connection.
+- Reading from an SFTP location waited a full round trip for every 256 KiB, whatever the line
+  speed. Reads now keep up to 8 requests in flight. Restoring 1.97 GB in 500 files from a Hetzner
+  Storage Box (47 ms away) took 694 s before the fix above, 499 s with it and 142 s with both
+  (2.8 → 3.9 → 13.9 MB/s); a full 51 GB restore ran at 13.0 MB/s. When a server error
+  interrupts such a read, it goes on from the same position with Nextcloud's own SFTP stream;
+  after three failing files in a row, or on a Nextcloud whose SFTP library lacks what this needs,
+  only Nextcloud's own stream is used.
+- README: a WebDAV location on a slow upload needs a higher `davstorage.request_timeout`.
+
+## [0.9.3-beta.4] - 2026-10-08
+
+Bugfix release.
+
+### Fixed
+- A backup failed with "cannot execute INSERT in a read-only transaction" on PostgreSQL as soon
+  as the database dump filled a whole pack (32 MiB): the pack's index cache row was written
+  inside the read-only dump transaction. On other databases that row was rolled back silently.
+- Backups to a remote location slowed down as the repository grew: every backup step listed the
+  repository's index with a round trip per file. Over SFTP to a Hetzner Storage Box a 60 GiB
+  repository already lost a large part of each step to it; backing up continuously
+  (`occ backup:run`) went from 45 KiB/s to 5.8 MB/s with the fix.
+
 ## [0.9.2-beta.3] - 2026-10-08
 
 Bugfix release.
@@ -122,6 +154,8 @@ and not implemented yet.
 - See the "Storage backend experiences" section of the README for provider-specific quirks found
   so far (e.g. Hetzner Storage Box sub-accounts).
 
+[0.9.4-beta.5]: https://github.com/dillardblom/ng_backup/releases/tag/v0.9.4-beta.5
+[0.9.3-beta.4]: https://github.com/dillardblom/ng_backup/releases/tag/v0.9.3-beta.4
 [0.9.2-beta.3]: https://github.com/dillardblom/ng_backup/releases/tag/v0.9.2-beta.3
 [0.9.1-beta.2]: https://github.com/dillardblom/ng_backup/releases/tag/v0.9.1-beta.2
 [0.9.0-beta.1]: https://github.com/dillardblom/ng_backup/releases/tag/v0.9.0-beta.1

README.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ installations and hosted Nextcloud. (Choosing SMB as a storage backend is the on
 see "Storage backend experiences" below — that requirement comes from files_external, not from
 ng_backup, and applies to any Nextcloud app that writes to an SMB share.)
 
-**Status: beta (0.9.2).** Tested thoroughly, usable alongside your current backup, but not yet a
+**Status: beta (0.9.4).** Tested thoroughly, usable alongside your current backup, but not yet a
 drop-in replacement for it. See "Known limitations" below, `PLAN.md` for the design and
 `docs/HOWTO.md` for a step-by-step guide from setup to a tested restore.
 
@@ -136,9 +136,10 @@ Contributions welcome via PR — add what you ran into with your own provider.
   Conflict`. SMB: share = the sub-account name, port 445 must be reachable from your server (it was
   from a home connection here, but some providers block it), and the `smbclient` PECL extension is
   required (see the SMB entry below). Both have a noticeable fixed cost per run: an incremental run
-  that uploads nothing took about 20 s over WebDAV and 50 s over SMB. A deep verify is slow over
-  remote storage, since each blob is fetched with its own request (19 minutes for 66 MiB over
-  WebDAV); run it occasionally, not after every backup.
+  that uploads nothing took about 20 s over WebDAV and 50 s over SMB. Over WebDAV, Nextcloud gives
+  every request at most 30 s by default, also an upload of a whole 32 MiB pack: on an upload
+  slower than about 9 Mbit/s a backup fails with `cURL error 28: Operation timed out`. Raise the
+  limit with `occ config:system:set davstorage.request_timeout --value=600 --type=integer`.
 
 - **FTP, server-dependent absolute-path handling:** files_external's FTP backend always builds
   absolute paths (e.g. `MKD /repo`) for the configured root, never relative ones. `atmoz/sftp`-style

appinfo/info.xml

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ directory to S3, SFTP, WebDAV, FTP, SMB or a local path, with restore of files a
 single users (via user_migration) and of the whole server onto a fresh installation. Tested
 thoroughly and usable alongside your current backup, but not yet a drop-in replacement for it.
 See the README for known limitations and the recovery kit before relying on it.]]></description>
-    <version>0.9.2</version>
+    <version>0.9.4</version>
     <licence>agpl</licence>
     <author>Dillard Blom</author>
     <namespace>NgBackup</namespace>

lib/Backend/IBackend.php

@@ -37,5 +37,15 @@ interface IBackend {
 	/** @return list<string> object paths below $prefix (recursive) */
 	public function list(string $prefix): array;
 
+	/**
+	 * Object paths directly in $dir, for a folder that only holds objects (index/, snapshots/,
+	 * catalog/, trash/info/). One listing, without checking the type of every entry: on a remote
+	 * storage list() costs a round trip per entry, which for index/ (one file per pack) grows
+	 * with the size of the repository.
+	 *
+	 * @return list<string>
+	 */
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array;
+
 	public function delete(string $path): void;
 }

lib/Backend/LocalBackend.php

@@ -107,6 +107,25 @@ final class LocalBackend implements IBackend {
 		return $result;
 	}
 
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array {
+		$base = $this->abs($dir);
+		if (!is_dir($base)) {
+			return [];
+		}
+		$result = [];
+		$names = scandir($base);
+		if ($names === false) {
+			throw new BackendException('Cannot list ' . $dir);
+		}
+		foreach ($names as $name) {
+			if ($name !== '.' && $name !== '..' && !StorageBackend::isTemporary($name)) {
+				$result[] = trim($dir, '/') . '/' . $name;
+			}
+		}
+		sort($result);
+		return $result;
+	}
+
 	public function delete(string $path): void {
 		@unlink($this->abs($path));
 	}

lib/Backend/SftpReadStream.php

@@ -0,0 +1,412 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Dillard Blom
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Backend;
+
+/**
+ * Read stream for files_external's SFTP storage that keeps several READ requests in flight.
+ *
+ * files_external's own read stream asks for the next 256 KiB only after the previous one has
+ * arrived, so every request costs a full round trip: about 5 MB/s at 47 ms to a Hetzner Storage
+ * Box, whatever the line speed. With 8 requests in flight the same connection reached 15 MB/s.
+ * phpseclib's get() pipelines too, but only into memory or a local file, and only from offset 0.
+ *
+ * Talks to the storage's phpseclib connection through the same internal methods files_external's
+ * read stream uses (_send_sftp_packet, _get_sftp_packet, _realpath); open() returns null when the
+ * connection does not offer them (phpseclib 3 does not), and StorageBackend then falls back to the
+ * storage's own stream. A restore must rather be slow than fail: when a read fails halfway, the
+ * stream goes on from the same position with the storage's own stream. After MAX_FAILURES streams
+ * in a row failed, open() returns null for the rest of the process; one that works resets the count.
+ * Like that stream, it owns the connection while open: no other request may go over the same
+ * connection until it is closed (PackReaderGuard takes care of that for the repository).
+ */
+final class SftpReadStream {
+	private const PROTOCOL = 'ngbsftpread';
+	/** Requests in flight once a stream reads sequentially; it starts at one and doubles. */
+	public const DEPTH = 8;
+	/** OpenSSH and the Hetzner Storage Box both answer at most 255 KiB per READ. */
+	private const CHUNK = 261120;
+	/** Every SFTP server must handle packets of this size (draft-ietf-secsh-filexfer-02, section 3). */
+	private const MIN_CHUNK = 32768;
+
+	private const FXP_OPEN = 3;
+	private const FXP_CLOSE = 4;
+	private const FXP_READ = 5;
+	private const FXP_STATUS = 101;
+	private const FXP_HANDLE = 102;
+	private const FXP_DATA = 103;
+	private const FXF_READ = 1;
+	private const FX_EOF = 1;
+
+	/**
+	 * READ size per connection, lowered when a server answers less than asked and then goes on, so
+	 * later streams over that connection ask for no more than it gives.
+	 *
+	 * @var \WeakMap<object, int>|null
+	 */
+	private static ?\WeakMap $chunks = null;
+	private static int $requestId = 0x4e470000;
+	/** Streams in a row that failed; at MAX_FAILURES only the storage's own stream is used. */
+	private static int $failures = 0;
+	public const MAX_FAILURES = 3;
+	/** Set by stream_open() when the connection failed rather than the file. */
+	private static bool $openBroke = false;
+
+	/** @var resource|null set by PHP for stream wrappers */
+	public $context;
+
+	/**
+	 * The phpseclib connection. PHP creates stream wrappers without constructor arguments; it is
+	 * set in stream_open(), and no other method is called when that fails.
+	 *
+	 * @psalm-suppress PropertyNotSetInConstructor
+	 */
+	private object $sftp;
+	/** The storage and the path on it, to fall back to the storage's own stream. */
+	private ?object $storage = null;
+	private string $file = '';
+	/** @var resource|null the storage's own stream, once this one has failed */
+	private $fallback = null;
+	private string $handle = '';
+	/** Position of the reader: the first byte of $buffer. */
+	private int $pos = 0;
+	/** Offset of the next READ to send. */
+	private int $next = 0;
+	private string $buffer = '';
+	/** @var list<array{int, int, int}> request id, offset, length, in the order sent */
+	private array $inFlight = [];
+	private int $depth = 1;
+	private bool $eof = false;
+	/** This stream gave up on its own requests. */
+	private bool $failed = false;
+	/** The connection is in an unknown state: nothing more is sent over it or read from it. */
+	private bool $broken = false;
+	/** Length of the last short answer, until the next answer tells whether it was the end of the file. */
+	private ?int $shortAnswer = null;
+
+	/**
+	 * @param object $storage files_external's SFTP storage (getConnection(), getRoot())
+	 * @return resource|false|null the stream, false when the file cannot be opened, null when the
+	 *                             connection does not offer what this stream needs
+	 * @throws BackendException when the connection failed after the OPEN request went out: the
+	 *                          storage's own stream must not be tried on it, as it would take a
+	 *                          late answer to that request for its own
+	 */
+	public static function open(object $storage, string $path) {
+		if (self::$failures >= self::MAX_FAILURES) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		try {
+			if (!is_callable([$storage, 'getConnection']) || !is_callable([$storage, 'getRoot'])) {
+				return null;
+			}
+			$sftp = $storage->getConnection();
+			// is_callable and get_object_vars from here only see what is public: phpseclib 3 has
+			// methods of these names neither public nor at all.
+			if (!is_object($sftp) || !is_callable([$sftp, '_send_sftp_packet']) || !is_callable([$sftp, '_get_sftp_packet'])
+				|| !is_callable([$sftp, '_realpath']) || !array_key_exists('packet_type', get_object_vars($sftp))) {
+				return null;
+			}
+			if (!in_array(self::PROTOCOL, stream_get_wrappers(), true)) {
+				stream_wrapper_register(self::PROTOCOL, self::class);
+			}
+			$root = rtrim((string)$storage->getRoot(), '/');
+			$context = stream_context_create([self::PROTOCOL => [
+				'session' => $sftp,
+				'path' => $root . '/' . ltrim($path, '/'),
+				'storage' => $storage,
+				'file' => $path,
+			]]);
+			self::$openBroke = false;
+			$fh = @fopen(self::PROTOCOL . '://file', 'r', false, $context);
+		} catch (\Throwable) {
+			// nothing was sent yet
+			self::$failures++;
+			return null;
+		}
+		if ($fh === false && self::openBroke()) {
+			throw new BackendException('SFTP connection failed while opening ' . $path);
+		}
+		return $fh;
+	}
+
+	/** Test hook: forget the learned READ sizes and earlier failures. */
+	public static function reset(): void {
+		self::$chunks = null;
+		self::$failures = 0;
+	}
+
+	public function stream_open(string $url, string $mode, int $options, ?string &$openedPath): bool {
+		$options = stream_context_get_options($this->context ?? stream_context_get_default())[self::PROTOCOL] ?? [];
+		if (!isset($options['session'], $options['path']) || !is_object($options['session'])) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		$this->sftp = $options['session'];
+		$storage = $options['storage'] ?? null;
+		$this->storage = is_object($storage) ? $storage : null;
+		$this->file = (string)($options['file'] ?? '');
+		try {
+			$remote = $this->sftp->_realpath((string)$options['path']);
+			if (!is_string($remote)) {
+				return false;
+			}
+			$id = self::nextId();
+			if (!$this->sftp->_send_sftp_packet(self::FXP_OPEN, pack('Na*N2', strlen($remote), $remote, self::FXF_READ, 0), $id)) {
+				return $this->connectionFailed();
+			}
+			$response = $this->sftp->_get_sftp_packet($id);
+		} catch (\Throwable) {
+			return $this->connectionFailed();
+		}
+		if (!is_string($response)) {
+			return $this->connectionFailed();
+		}
+		if ($this->sftp->packet_type !== self::FXP_HANDLE) {
+			return false; // an answer, but no handle: the file cannot be opened
+		}
+		$this->handle = substr($response, 4);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/** Not a missing file but a connection that does not behave as expected. */
+	private function connectionFailed(): bool {
+		self::$failures++;
+		self::$openBroke = true;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/** Whether the last stream_open() failed on the connection; a call, as fopen() sets it. */
+	private static function openBroke(): bool {
+		return self::$openBroke;
+	}
+
+	public function stream_read(int $count): string|false {
+		if ($this->fallback !== null) {
+			return fread($this->fallback, $count);
+		}
+		while (strlen($this->buffer) < $count && !$this->eof) {
+			if (!$this->receive()) {
+				return $this->useFallback() ? $this->stream_read($count) : false;
+			}
+		}
+		$data = substr($this->buffer, 0, $count);
+		$this->buffer = substr($this->buffer, strlen($data));
+		$this->pos += strlen($data);
+		return $data;
+	}
+
+	public function stream_eof(): bool {
+		if ($this->fallback !== null) {
+			return feof($this->fallback);
+		}
+		return $this->eof && $this->buffer === '';
+	}
+
+	public function stream_tell(): int {
+		if ($this->fallback !== null) {
+			$pos = ftell($this->fallback);
+			return $pos === false ? $this->pos : $pos;
+		}
+		return $this->pos;
+	}
+
+	public function stream_seek(int $offset, int $whence = SEEK_SET): bool {
+		if ($this->fallback !== null) {
+			return fseek($this->fallback, $offset, $whence) === 0;
+		}
+		if ($whence === SEEK_CUR) {
+			$offset += $this->pos;
+		} elseif ($whence !== SEEK_SET) {
+			return false; // the size is never asked for, to save a round trip
+		}
+		if ($offset < 0) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		if ($this->failed) {
+			$this->pos = $offset;
+			return $this->useFallback();
+		}
+		if ($offset >= $this->pos && $offset - $this->pos <= strlen($this->buffer)) {
+			$this->buffer = substr($this->buffer, $offset - $this->pos);
+		} else {
+			$this->drain();
+			$this->buffer = '';
+			$this->next = $offset;
+			$this->eof = false;
+			$this->depth = 1;
+			$this->shortAnswer = null;
+		}
+		$this->pos = $offset;
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/** @return array<int|string, int> */
+	public function stream_stat(): array {
+		return [];
+	}
+
+	public function stream_close(): void {
+		if (!$this->failed) {
+			self::$failures = 0;
+		}
+		$fallback = $this->fallback;
+		$this->fallback = null;
+		if ($fallback !== null) {
+			fclose($fallback);
+		}
+		$this->closeHandle();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Go on with the storage's own stream from the current position, after a server error on this
+	 * one. The data still buffered is dropped and read again. False after a connection error, or
+	 * when that stream cannot be opened or positioned: then the read fails as it would have
+	 * without this class. Reopening by path is safe for a repository: packs and index files are
+	 * never rewritten, and every object is authenticated when it is decrypted.
+	 */
+	private function useFallback(): bool {
+		$this->closeHandle();
+		$this->buffer = '';
+		// files_external's stream takes whatever answer comes next on the connection: after a
+		// connection error, answers to this stream's requests may still be on their way.
+		if ($this->broken || $this->storage === null || !is_callable([$this->storage, 'fopen'])) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		try {
+			$fh = $this->storage->fopen($this->file, 'r');
+			if (!is_resource($fh)) {
+				return false;
+			}
+			if ($this->pos > 0 && fseek($fh, $this->pos) !== 0) {
+				fclose($fh);
+				return false;
+			}
+		} catch (\Throwable) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		$this->fallback = $fh;
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	private function closeHandle(): void {
+		$this->drain();
+		if ($this->handle !== '' && !$this->broken) {
+			try {
+				$id = self::nextId();
+				if (!$this->sftp->_send_sftp_packet(self::FXP_CLOSE, pack('Na*', strlen($this->handle), $this->handle), $id)
+					|| !is_string($this->sftp->_get_sftp_packet($id))) {
+					$this->broken = true;
+				}
+			} catch (\Throwable) {
+				$this->broken = true;
+			}
+		}
+		$this->handle = '';
+	}
+
+	/** Keep the pipeline full, then take the oldest answer. False on a connection or server error. */
+	private function receive(): bool {
+		if ($this->failed) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		try {
+			return $this->receiveOne();
+		} catch (\Throwable) {
+			$this->broken = true;
+			return $this->fail();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private function receiveOne(): bool {
+		while (count($this->inFlight) < $this->depth) {
+			$id = self::nextId();
+			$length = self::chunk($this->sftp);
+			$packet = pack('Na*N3', strlen($this->handle), $this->handle, intdiv($this->next, 4294967296), $this->next % 4294967296, $length);
+			if (!$this->sftp->_send_sftp_packet(self::FXP_READ, $packet, $id)) {
+				$this->broken = true;
+				return $this->fail();
+			}
+			$this->inFlight[] = [$id, $this->next, $length];
+			$this->next += $length;
+		}
+		[$id, $offset, $length] = array_shift($this->inFlight);
+		$response = $this->sftp->_get_sftp_packet($id);
+		if (!is_string($response)) {
+			$this->broken = true;
+			return $this->fail();
+		}
+		if ($this->sftp->packet_type === self::FXP_DATA) {
+			$data = substr($response, 4);
+			if ($data === '') {
+				return $this->fail();
+			}
+			$this->buffer .= $data;
+			$this->depth = min(self::DEPTH, $this->depth * 2);
+			if ($this->shortAnswer !== null) {
+				// More data after a short answer: that one was the server's cap, not the end.
+				// Never below what every server must support: a one-off small answer is no cap.
+				self::$chunks ??= new \WeakMap();
+				self::$chunks[$this->sftp] = max(self::MIN_CHUNK, min(self::chunk($this->sftp), $this->shortAnswer));
+				$this->shortAnswer = null;
+			}
+			if (strlen($data) < $length) {
+				// Fewer bytes than asked: the end of the file, or a server that caps a READ. The
+				// requests behind this one assumed a full answer, so drop them and ask again from here.
+				$this->drain();
+				$this->next = $offset + strlen($data);
+				$this->shortAnswer = strlen($data);
+			}
+			return true;
+		}
+		$status = $this->sftp->packet_type === self::FXP_STATUS ? unpack('N', $response) : false;
+		if (is_array($status) && ($status[1] ?? null) === self::FX_EOF) {
+			$this->eof = true;
+			$this->shortAnswer = null;
+			$this->drain();
+			return true;
+		}
+		return $this->fail();
+	}
+
+	private function fail(): bool {
+		$this->drain();
+		if (!$this->failed) {
+			self::$failures++;
+		}
+		$this->failed = true;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/** Read and drop the answers still on their way, so the connection is free again. */
+	private function drain(): void {
+		$inFlight = $this->inFlight;
+		$this->inFlight = [];
+		if ($this->broken) {
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
+			foreach ($inFlight as [$id]) {
+				if (!is_string($this->sftp->_get_sftp_packet($id))) {
+					$this->broken = true;
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+		} catch (\Throwable) {
+			$this->broken = true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	private static function chunk(object $sftp): int {
+		$learned = self::$chunks?->offsetExists($sftp) === true ? self::$chunks->offsetGet($sftp) : null;
+		return is_int($learned) ? $learned : self::CHUNK;
+	}
+
+	private static function nextId(): int {
+		self::$requestId = self::$requestId >= 0x7fffffff ? 0x4e470000 : self::$requestId + 1;
+		return self::$requestId;
+	}
+}

lib/Backend/StorageBackend.php

@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ use OCP\Files\Storage\IWriteStreamStorage;
 final class StorageBackend implements IBackend {
 	/** Object stores write whole objects atomically; other storages get a temp name + rename. */
 	private bool $atomicPut;
+	/** SFTP: read through SftpReadStream, which keeps several requests in flight. */
+	private bool $sftpReads;
 
 	public function __construct(
 		private IStorage $storage,
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ final class StorageBackend implements IBackend {
 		$this->base = trim($base, '/');
 		self::validate($this->base, true);
 		$this->atomicPut = $storage->instanceOfStorage(\OCA\Files_External\Lib\Storage\AmazonS3::class);
+		$this->sftpReads = $storage->instanceOfStorage(\OCA\Files_External\Lib\Storage\SFTP::class);
 		if ($this->base !== '') {
 			$this->mkdirs($this->base);
 		}
@@ -79,6 +82,14 @@ final class StorageBackend implements IBackend {
 	}
 
 	public function get(string $path) {
+		if ($this->sftpReads) {
+			$fh = SftpReadStream::open($this->storage, $this->abs($path));
+			if (is_resource($fh)) {
+				return $fh;
+			}
+			// null: not supported or failing for now; false: not opened, which need not mean
+			// missing. Either way the storage's own stream decides.
+		}
 		$fh = $this->storage->fopen($this->abs($path), 'r');
 		if ($fh === false) {
 			throw new BackendException('Not found: ' . $path);
@@ -133,6 +144,28 @@ final class StorageBackend implements IBackend {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array {
+		$abs = $this->abs($dir);
+		if (!$this->storage->is_dir($abs)) {
+			return []; // not created yet
+		}
+		$dh = $this->storage->opendir($abs);
+		if ($dh === false) {
+			// An existing folder read as empty would look like a new repository.
+			throw new BackendException('Cannot list ' . $dir);
+		}
+		$cut = $this->base === '' ? 0 : strlen($this->base) + 1;
+		$result = [];
+		while (($name = readdir($dh)) !== false) {
+			if ($name !== '.' && $name !== '..' && !self::isTemporary($name)) {
+				$result[] = substr($abs . '/' . $name, $cut);
+			}
+		}
+		closedir($dh);
+		sort($result);
+		return $result;
+	}
+
 	private function listInto(string $dir, array &$result): void {
 		if (!$this->storage->is_dir($dir)) {
 			return;

lib/Db/DbDumper.php

@@ -72,50 +72,57 @@ final class DbDumper {
 	public function dumpStep(Repository $repo, array $state, float $deadline, array &$stats): array {
 		$state['steps']++;
 		$sm = $this->db->createSchemaManager();
-		$this->db->setTransactionIsolation(TransactionIsolationLevel::REPEATABLE_READ);
-		$this->db->beginTransaction();
+		// A pack that fills up during the dump is uploaded right away; its index cache row must
+		// wait until the read-only transaction is over.
+		$repo->holdIndexCache();
 		try {
-			if ($this->db->getDatabasePlatform() instanceof \Doctrine\DBAL\Platforms\PostgreSQLPlatform) {
-				$this->db->executeStatement('SET TRANSACTION READ ONLY');
-			}
-			while ($state['i'] < count($state['tables'])) {
-				$table = $state['tables'][$state['i']];
-				$schema = $sm->introspectTable($table);
-				$writer = $repo->blobWriter($stats);
-				$hash = $state['hash'] !== null ? unserialize(base64_decode($state['hash']), ['allowed_classes' => [\HashContext::class]]) : hash_init('sha256');
-				if ($state['after'] === null && $state['segments'] === []) {
-					$writer->write($this->header($schema) . "\n");
+			$this->db->setTransactionIsolation(TransactionIsolationLevel::REPEATABLE_READ);
+			$this->db->beginTransaction();
+			try {
+				if ($this->db->getDatabasePlatform() instanceof \Doctrine\DBAL\Platforms\PostgreSQLPlatform) {
+					$this->db->executeStatement('SET TRANSACTION READ ONLY');
 				}
-				$complete = true;
-				foreach ($this->rowLines($schema, $state['after']) as [$key, $line]) {
-					$writer->write($line . "\n");
-					hash_update($hash, $line . "\n");
-					$state['rows']++;
-					$state['after'] = $key;
-					if (microtime(true) >= $deadline) {
-						$complete = false;
+				while ($state['i'] < count($state['tables'])) {
+					$table = $state['tables'][$state['i']];
+					$schema = $sm->introspectTable($table);
+					$writer = $repo->blobWriter($stats);
+					$hash = $state['hash'] !== null ? unserialize(base64_decode($state['hash']), ['allowed_classes' => [\HashContext::class]]) : hash_init('sha256');
+					if ($state['after'] === null && $state['segments'] === []) {
+						$writer->write($this->header($schema) . "\n");
+					}
+					$complete = true;
+					foreach ($this->rowLines($schema, $state['after']) as [$key, $line]) {
+						$writer->write($line . "\n");
+						hash_update($hash, $line . "\n");
+						$state['rows']++;
+						$state['after'] = $key;
+						if (microtime(true) >= $deadline) {
+							$complete = false;
+							break;
+						}
+					}
+					$state['segments'][] = $writer->finish();
+					$state['bytes'] += $writer->bytes();
+					if (!$complete) {
+						$state['hash'] = base64_encode(serialize($hash));
+						break;
+					}
+					$state['result'][$table] = ['blobs' => array_merge(...$state['segments']), 'rows' => $state['rows'],
+						'bytes' => $state['bytes'], 'sha256' => hash_final($hash)];
+					$state = array_merge($state, ['i' => $state['i'] + 1, 'after' => null, 'segments' => [], 'rows' => 0, 'bytes' => 0, 'hash' => null]);
+					if (microtime(true) >= $deadline && $state['i'] < count($state['tables'])) {
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				$state['segments'][] = $writer->finish();
-				$state['bytes'] += $writer->bytes();
-				if (!$complete) {
-					$state['hash'] = base64_encode(serialize($hash));
-					break;
+				if ($state['i'] >= count($state['tables'])) {
+					$state['sequences'] = $this->sequenceStates($state['tables']);
+					$state['done'] = true;
 				}
-				$state['result'][$table] = ['blobs' => array_merge(...$state['segments']), 'rows' => $state['rows'],
-					'bytes' => $state['bytes'], 'sha256' => hash_final($hash)];
-				$state = array_merge($state, ['i' => $state['i'] + 1, 'after' => null, 'segments' => [], 'rows' => 0, 'bytes' => 0, 'hash' => null]);
-				if (microtime(true) >= $deadline && $state['i'] < count($state['tables'])) {
-					break;
-				}
-			}
-			if ($state['i'] >= count($state['tables'])) {
-				$state['sequences'] = $this->sequenceStates($state['tables']);
-				$state['done'] = true;
+			} finally {
+				$this->db->rollBack();
 			}
 		} finally {
-			$this->db->rollBack();
+			$repo->releaseIndexCache();
 		}
 		$repo->flushPacks();
 		return $state;

lib/Repository/BlobIndex.php

@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ final class BlobIndex {
 	private array $pending = [];
 
 	private ?IIndexCache $cache = null;
+	/** @var list<\Closure():void>|null cache writes held back by holdCache(), or null when writing directly */
+	private ?array $heldCacheWrites = null;
 	private string $repositoryId = '';
 	/** @var int index files downloaded by the last load() (for tests and diagnostics) */
 	public int $downloaded = 0;
@@ -40,6 +42,46 @@ final class BlobIndex {
 		$this->repositoryId = $repositoryId;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Hold back cache writes until releaseCache(). The database dump reads inside a read-only
+	 * transaction on the same connection that the cache writes to: a write there fails on
+	 * PostgreSQL and would be rolled back with the dump transaction elsewhere.
+	 */
+	public function holdCache(): void {
+		$this->heldCacheWrites ??= [];
+	}
+
+	/** Write the cache changes held back since holdCache(). */
+	public function releaseCache(): void {
+		$writes = $this->heldCacheWrites ?? [];
+		$this->heldCacheWrites = null;
+		foreach ($writes as $write) {
+			$write();
+		}
+	}
+
+	/** @param list<array{id:string, offset:int, length:int, raw:int, flags:int}> $entries */
+	private function cachePut(string $packId, array $entries): void {
+		if ($this->heldCacheWrites !== null) {
+			$this->heldCacheWrites[] = function () use ($packId, $entries): void {
+				$this->cache?->put($this->repositoryId, $packId, $entries);
+			};
+			return;
+		}
+		$this->cache?->put($this->repositoryId, $packId, $entries);
+	}
+
+	/** @param list<string> $packIds */
+	private function cacheRemove(array $packIds): void {
+		if ($this->heldCacheWrites !== null) {
+			$this->heldCacheWrites[] = function () use ($packIds): void {
+				$this->cache?->remove($this->repositoryId, $packIds);
+			};
+			return;
+		}
+		$this->cache?->remove($this->repositoryId, $packIds);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Load the index: one listing of index/, entries from the local cache where available,
 	 * and only the index files that are not cached yet are downloaded. Cached packs that no
@@ -50,7 +92,7 @@ final class BlobIndex {
 		$cached = $verify ? [] : ($this->cache?->all($this->repositoryId) ?? []);
 		$present = [];
 		$this->downloaded = 0;
-		foreach ($this->backend->list('index') as $path) {
+		foreach ($this->backend->listFiles('index') as $path) {
 			$packId = basename($path);
 			$present[$packId] = true;
 			if (isset($cached[$packId])) {
@@ -112,7 +154,7 @@ final class BlobIndex {
 		fwrite($stream, $this->cipher->encryptString(json_encode($entries, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR), 'index:' . $packId));
 		rewind($stream);
 		$this->backend->put('index/' . $packId, $stream);
-		$this->cache?->put($this->repositoryId, $packId, $entries);
+		$this->cachePut($packId, $entries);
 		foreach ($entries as $e) {
 			$this->blobs[$e['id']] = [$packId, $e['offset'], $e['length'], $e['raw'], $e['flags']];
 			unset($this->pending[$e['id']]);
@@ -131,7 +173,7 @@ final class BlobIndex {
 	/** Forget a pack: delete its index file and cache row. Blobs that now live elsewhere are kept. */
 	public function removePack(string $packId): void {
 		$this->backend->delete('index/' . $packId);
-		$this->cache?->remove($this->repositoryId, [$packId]);
+		$this->cacheRemove([$packId]);
 		foreach ($this->blobs as $id => $loc) {
 			if ($loc[0] === $packId) {
 				unset($this->blobs[$id]);

lib/Repository/Catalog.php

@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ final class Catalog {
 
 	/** @return list<int> */
 	private function generations(): array {
-		return array_map(fn ($p) => (int)basename($p), $this->backend->list('catalog'));
+		return array_map(fn ($p) => (int)basename($p), $this->backend->listFiles('catalog'));
 	}
 
 	private function path(int $gen): string {

lib/Repository/PackReader.php

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Dillard Blom
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Repository;
+
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\IBackend;
+
+/**
+ * Reads blobs from packs. Restores and deep verifies read the blobs of a snapshot in the order
+ * they were written, so the stream of the pack read last is kept open and read on from where it
+ * is: one request per pack instead of one per blob (a round trip each, and on most remote
+ * storages a new connection or file handle too). Anything else opens the pack at the offset,
+ * as a single read always did.
+ *
+ * The open stream must not overlap other requests on the location (SFTP cannot read and write
+ * on one connection at once): Repository reaches the location through a PackReaderGuard, which
+ * closes it first.
+ */
+final class PackReader {
+	/** A gap up to this size in the open stream is read past instead of opening the pack again. */
+	private const SKIP_MAX = 8 * 1048576;
+	private const CHUNK = 1048576;
+
+	/** @var resource|null */
+	private $stream = null;
+	private string $pack = '';
+	private int $pos = 0;
+
+	public function __construct(
+		private IBackend $backend,
+	) {
+	}
+
+	public function read(string $pack, int $offset, int $length): string {
+		if ($this->stream !== null && $this->pack === $pack && $offset >= $this->pos && $offset - $this->pos <= self::SKIP_MAX) {
+			try {
+				$this->skipTo($offset);
+				return $this->readExactly($length);
+			} catch (\Exception) {
+				// The open stream broke (e.g. a timeout); open the pack again below.
+			}
+		}
+		$this->close();
+		$fh = $this->backend->get('packs/' . substr($pack, 0, 2) . '/' . $pack);
+		$this->stream = $fh;
+		$this->pack = $pack;
+		$this->pos = 0;
+		try {
+			if ($offset > 0 && (stream_get_meta_data($fh)['seekable'] ?? false) && fseek($fh, $offset) === 0) {
+				$this->pos = $offset;
+			}
+			$this->skipTo($offset); // a stream that cannot seek is read up to the offset
+			return $this->readExactly($length);
+		} catch (\Exception $e) {
+			$this->close();
+			throw $e;
+		}
+	}
+
+	public function close(): void {
+		$fh = $this->stream;
+		$this->stream = null;
+		if ($fh !== null) {
+			@fclose($fh);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public function __destruct() {
+		$this->close();
+	}
+
+	private function skipTo(int $offset): void {
+		while ($this->pos < $offset) {
+			$this->readExactly(min($offset - $this->pos, self::CHUNK));
+		}
+	}
+
+	/** Read $length bytes from the open stream; a short read closes it. */
+	private function readExactly(int $length): string {
+		$fh = $this->stream ?? throw new RepositoryException('No open pack stream');
+		$data = '';
+		while (strlen($data) < $length) {
+			$chunk = fread($fh, min($length - strlen($data), self::CHUNK));
+			if ($chunk === false || $chunk === '') {
+				$this->close();
+				throw new RepositoryException('Short read in pack ' . $this->pack);
+			}
+			$data .= $chunk;
+		}
+		$this->pos += $length;
+		return $data;
+	}
+}

lib/Repository/PackReaderGuard.php

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Dillard Blom
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Repository;
+
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\IBackend;
+
+/** The location as Repository sees it: closes the PackReader's open stream before every other request. */
+final class PackReaderGuard implements IBackend {
+	public function __construct(
+		private IBackend $inner,
+		private PackReader $reader,
+	) {
+	}
+
+	/** @param resource $stream */
+	public function put(string $path, $stream): void {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		$this->inner->put($path, $stream);
+	}
+
+	public function get(string $path) {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		return $this->inner->get($path);
+	}
+
+	public function getRange(string $path, int $offset, int $length): string {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		return $this->inner->getRange($path, $offset, $length);
+	}
+
+	public function exists(string $path): bool {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		return $this->inner->exists($path);
+	}
+
+	public function move(string $from, string $to): void {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		$this->inner->move($from, $to);
+	}
+
+	public function list(string $prefix): array {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		return $this->inner->list($prefix);
+	}
+
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		return $this->inner->listFiles($dir);
+	}
+
+	public function delete(string $path): void {
+		$this->reader->close();
+		$this->inner->delete($path);
+	}
+}

lib/Repository/Repository.php

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ final class Repository {
 	private ?PackWriter $runPacks = null;
 	private ?int $maxBytes = null;
 	private Catalog $catalog;
+	private PackReader $packReader;
 
 	private function __construct(
 		private IBackend $backend,
@@ -43,7 +44,9 @@ final class Repository {
 		private string $repositoryId,
 	) {
 		$this->cipher = new StreamCipher($keys);
-		$this->index = new BlobIndex($backend, $this->cipher);
+		$this->packReader = new PackReader($backend);
+		$this->backend = new PackReaderGuard($backend, $this->packReader);
+		$this->index = new BlobIndex($this->backend, $this->cipher);
 	}
 
 	public static function init(IBackend $backend, #[\SensitiveParameter] string $passphrase): self {
@@ -92,8 +95,8 @@ final class Repository {
 	private function loadCatalog(?ICatalogAnchor $anchor): void {
 		$this->catalog = new Catalog($this->backend, $this->cipher, $this->repositoryId, $anchor);
 		$this->catalog->load(
-			fn () => array_map('basename', $this->backend->list('snapshots')),
-			fn () => array_map('basename', $this->backend->list('trash/info')),
+			fn () => array_map('basename', $this->backend->listFiles('snapshots')),
+			fn () => array_map('basename', $this->backend->listFiles('trash/info')),
 			fn () => $this->backend->list('users'));
 	}
 
@@ -262,6 +265,15 @@ final class Repository {
 		});
 	}
 
+	/** See BlobIndex::holdCache(): no database writes until releaseIndexCache(). */
+	public function holdIndexCache(): void {
+		$this->index->holdCache();
+	}
+
+	public function releaseIndexCache(): void {
+		$this->index->releaseCache();
+	}
+
 	public function flushPacks(): void {
 		$this->runPacks?->flush();
 	}
@@ -634,7 +646,7 @@ final class Repository {
 	 * @return list<string>
 	 */
 	public function listSnapshots(): array {
-		$present = array_flip(array_map('basename', $this->backend->list('snapshots')));
+		$present = array_flip(array_map('basename', $this->backend->listFiles('snapshots')));
 		$listed = array_keys($this->catalog->snapshots);
 		foreach ($listed as $id) {
 			if (!isset($present[$id])) {
@@ -699,7 +711,7 @@ final class Repository {
 
 	private function loadBlob(string $id): string {
 		[$pack, $offset, $length] = $this->index->get($id);
-		return $this->decodeBlob($id, $this->backend->getRange('packs/' . substr($pack, 0, 2) . '/' . $pack, $offset, $length));
+		return $this->decodeBlob($id, $this->packReader->read($pack, $offset, $length));
 	}
 
 	/** Decrypts and checks a blob read from its pack; throws when it is corrupted or tampered with. */
@@ -839,7 +851,7 @@ final class Repository {
 		$encrypted = null;
 		for ($attempt = 1; $attempt <= self::VERIFY_READ_ATTEMPTS && $encrypted === null; $attempt++) {
 			try {
-				$encrypted = $this->backend->getRange('packs/' . substr($pack, 0, 2) . '/' . $pack, $offset, $length);
+				$encrypted = $this->packReader->read($pack, $offset, $length);
 			} catch (\Exception $e) { // storage adapters throw their own exceptions; \Error (a bug) is not retried
 				$stats['readError'] = $e->getMessage();
 			}
@@ -850,7 +862,7 @@ final class Repository {
 		}
 		try {
 			$stats['bytesChecked'] += strlen($this->decodeBlob($id, $encrypted));
-		} catch (\Throwable) {
+		} catch (\Exception) { // damage; an \Error is a bug and must not be reported as damage
 			$stats['failed'][] = $id;
 		}
 	}

tests/Unit/Backend/SftpReadStreamTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,478 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Tests\Unit\Backend;
+
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\BackendException;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\SftpReadStream;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * SftpReadStream against a fake of the phpseclib connection: an SFTP server that answers READ
+ * requests from in-memory files, optionally capped. Every answer must be asked for by its request
+ * id, as phpseclib matches them: a server may answer out of order.
+ */
+class SftpReadStreamTest extends TestCase {
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		SftpReadStream::reset();
+	}
+
+	public function testReadsAWholeFileWithSeveralRequestsInFlight(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(5 * 1048576 + 12345);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/repo/packs/ab/abcd' => $data]);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'repo/packs/ab/abcd');
+
+		$this->assertIsResource($fh);
+		$this->assertSame($data, stream_get_contents($fh));
+		$this->assertTrue(feof($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(SftpReadStream::DEPTH, $sftp->maxInFlight);
+		$this->assertSame(0, $sftp->pending(), 'nothing may be left on the connection after close');
+		$this->assertSame([], $sftp->openHandles);
+	}
+
+	public function testAServerThatCapsAReadStillGivesEveryByteInOrder(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(3 * 1048576 + 7);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data], cap: 100000);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+
+		$this->assertSame($data, stream_get_contents($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(0, $sftp->pending());
+
+		// The cap is learned: a next stream asks for no more than the server gives.
+		$sftp->reads = [];
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+		$this->assertSame($data, stream_get_contents($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame([100000], array_values(array_unique($sftp->reads)));
+
+		// Only for that connection.
+		$other = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data]);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($other), 'f');
+		$this->assertSame($data, stream_get_contents($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(261120, max($other->reads));
+	}
+
+	public function testATinyAnswerDoesNotShrinkTheReadsBelowWhatEveryServerSupports(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(1048576);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data], cap: 1000);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+		$this->assertSame($data, stream_get_contents($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(32768, min($sftp->reads));
+	}
+
+	public function testSeekingReadsFromTheNewOffset(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(3 * 1048576);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data]);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+
+		$this->assertSame(0, fseek($fh, 2000000));
+		$this->assertSame(2000000, ftell($fh));
+		$this->assertSame(substr($data, 2000000, 1000), fread($fh, 1000));
+		$this->assertSame(0, fseek($fh, 10)); // backwards
+		$this->assertSame(substr($data, 10, 70000), $this->readExactly($fh, 70000));
+		$this->assertSame(0, fseek($fh, 100, SEEK_CUR)); // within what is already buffered
+		$this->assertSame(substr($data, 70110, 5000), $this->readExactly($fh, 5000));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(0, $sftp->pending());
+	}
+
+	public function testASmallReadDoesNotFetchTheWholePipelineAhead(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => random_bytes(10 * 1048576)]);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+		fread($fh, 100);
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertCount(1, $sftp->reads, 'the first request goes alone, the pipeline grows while reading on');
+	}
+
+	public function testAnEmptyFileIsAtEndAtOnce(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => '']);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'f');
+		$this->assertSame('', stream_get_contents($fh));
+		$this->assertTrue(feof($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+	}
+
+	public function testAMissingFileCannotBeOpened(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection([]);
+		$this->assertFalse(SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage($sftp), 'nope'));
+		$this->assertSame(0, $sftp->pending());
+	}
+
+	public function testAServerErrorGoesOnWithTheStoragesOwnStreamFromTheSamePosition(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(3 * 1048576);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data], failAt: 1048576);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+
+		$this->assertSame($data, $this->readAll($fh));
+		$this->assertSame(['f'], $storage->fopens);
+		$this->assertSame(strlen($data), ftell($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(0, $sftp->pending(), 'the connection is clean for the storage\'s own stream');
+		$this->assertSame([], $sftp->openHandles, 'the failed handle is closed');
+
+		// One failure is no reason to give up on the fast reads.
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertIsResource($fh);
+		fclose($fh);
+	}
+
+	public function testOnlyFailuresInARowSwitchTheFastReadsOff(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(2 * 1048576);
+		$failing = new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data], failAt: 1048576));
+		$working = new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data]));
+		for ($i = 1; $i < SftpReadStream::MAX_FAILURES; $i++) {
+			$fh = SftpReadStream::open($failing, 'f');
+			$this->assertSame($data, $this->readAll($fh));
+			fclose($fh);
+		}
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($working, 'f'); // a stream that works resets the count
+		$this->assertSame($data, $this->readAll($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+		for ($i = 1; $i <= SftpReadStream::MAX_FAILURES; $i++) {
+			$fh = SftpReadStream::open($failing, 'f');
+			$this->assertIsResource($fh, "failure $i");
+			$this->assertSame($data, $this->readAll($fh));
+			fclose($fh);
+		}
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open($working, 'f'));
+		$this->assertSame(SftpReadStream::MAX_FAILURES * 2 - 1, count($failing->fopens), 'every failed stream still gave all its data');
+	}
+
+	public function testAServerErrorAfterASeekGoesOnFromTheSeekedPosition(): void {
+		$data = random_bytes(3 * 1048576);
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => $data], failAt: 2500000);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertSame(0, fseek($fh, 2400000));
+		$this->assertSame(substr($data, 2400000), $this->readAll($fh));
+		$this->assertSame(0, fseek($fh, 100)); // seeks go to the storage's stream now
+		$this->assertSame(substr($data, 100, 1000), $this->readExactly($fh, 1000));
+		fclose($fh);
+	}
+
+	public function testAConnectionErrorDoesNotFallBackOnTheSameConnection(): void {
+		// After an exception, answers may still be on their way; files_external's stream would
+		// take them for its own.
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => random_bytes(3 * 1048576)], throwAt: 1048576);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertLessThan(3 * 1048576, strlen($this->readAll($fh)));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame([], $storage->fopens);
+	}
+
+	public function testALostConnectionDoesNotFallBackEither(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => random_bytes(3 * 1048576)], loseAt: 1048576);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertLessThan(3 * 1048576, strlen($this->readAll($fh)));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame([], $storage->fopens);
+	}
+
+	public function testWhenTheStoragesOwnStreamFailsTooTheReadFails(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => random_bytes(3 * 1048576)], failAt: 1048576);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp, fopenFails: true);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertLessThan(3 * 1048576, strlen($this->readAll($fh)));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame(['f'], $storage->fopens);
+	}
+
+	public function testAConnectionErrorWhileOpeningIsAnErrorNotAMissingFile(): void {
+		// The OPEN request went out: the storage's own stream must not be tried on this connection.
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => 'x'], throwAt: -1));
+		try {
+			SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+			$this->fail('expected a BackendException');
+		} catch (BackendException $e) {
+			$this->assertStringContainsString('connection', $e->getMessage());
+		}
+		$lost = new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => 'x'], loseAt: -1));
+		$this->expectException(BackendException::class);
+		SftpReadStream::open($lost, 'f');
+	}
+
+	public function testAConnectionErrorWhileOpeningDoesNotStopTheNextFile(): void {
+		try {
+			SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => 'x'], throwAt: -1)), 'f');
+		} catch (BackendException) {
+		}
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open(new FakeSftpStorage(new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => 'x'])), 'f');
+		$this->assertSame('x', stream_get_contents($fh));
+		fclose($fh);
+	}
+
+	public function testAFailedCloseDoesNotFallBackOnTheSameConnection(): void {
+		$sftp = new FakeSftpConnection(['/home/f' => random_bytes(3 * 1048576)], failAt: 1048576, closeFails: true);
+		$storage = new FakeSftpStorage($sftp);
+		$fh = SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f');
+		$this->assertLessThan(3 * 1048576, strlen($this->readAll($fh)));
+		fclose($fh);
+		$this->assertSame([], $storage->fopens);
+	}
+
+	public function testAStorageThatThrowsIsNotUsed(): void {
+		$storage = new class {
+			public function getRoot(): string {
+				return '/';
+			}
+
+			public function getConnection(): object {
+				throw new \RuntimeException('Login failed');
+			}
+		};
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f'));
+	}
+
+	public function testAConnectionWithoutTheNeededMethodsIsNotUsed(): void {
+		$storage = new class {
+			public function getRoot(): string {
+				return '/';
+			}
+
+			public function getConnection(): object {
+				return new \stdClass();
+			}
+		};
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f'));
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open(new \stdClass(), 'f'));
+	}
+
+	public function testAPhpseclib3ConnectionIsNotUsed(): void {
+		// phpseclib 3 has no _-prefixed methods; its packet_type and packet methods are private.
+		$v3 = new class {
+			private int $packet_type = -1;
+
+			private function _send_sftp_packet(): bool {
+				return true;
+			}
+
+			private function _get_sftp_packet(): string {
+				return '';
+			}
+
+			public function _realpath(string $path): string {
+				return $path;
+			}
+
+			public function realpath(string $path): string {
+				return $path . (string)$this->packet_type . $this->_send_sftp_packet() . $this->_get_sftp_packet();
+			}
+		};
+		$storage = new class($v3) {
+			public function __construct(
+				private object $connection,
+			) {
+			}
+
+			public function getRoot(): string {
+				return '/';
+			}
+
+			public function getConnection(): object {
+				return $this->connection;
+			}
+		};
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f'));
+	}
+
+	public function testAPrivatePacketTypeIsNotUsed(): void {
+		$conn = new class {
+			private int $packet_type = -1;
+
+			public function _send_sftp_packet(): bool {
+				return true;
+			}
+
+			public function _get_sftp_packet(): string {
+				return (string)$this->packet_type;
+			}
+
+			public function _realpath(string $path): string {
+				return $path;
+			}
+		};
+		$storage = new class($conn) {
+			public function __construct(
+				private object $connection,
+			) {
+			}
+
+			public function getRoot(): string {
+				return '/';
+			}
+
+			public function getConnection(): object {
+				return $this->connection;
+			}
+		};
+		$this->assertNull(SftpReadStream::open($storage, 'f'));
+	}
+
+	/** @param resource $fh */
+	private function readAll($fh): string {
+		$data = '';
+		while (!feof($fh)) {
+			$chunk = fread($fh, 65536);
+			if ($chunk === false || $chunk === '') {
+				break;
+			}
+			$data .= $chunk;
+		}
+		return $data;
+	}
+
+	/** @param resource $fh */
+	private function readExactly($fh, int $length): string {
+		$data = '';
+		while (strlen($data) < $length && !feof($fh)) {
+			$data .= fread($fh, $length - strlen($data));
+		}
+		return $data;
+	}
+}
+
+final class FakeSftpStorage {
+	/** @var list<string> paths opened through the storage's own stream */
+	public array $fopens = [];
+
+	public function __construct(
+		private FakeSftpConnection $connection,
+		private bool $fopenFails = false,
+	) {
+	}
+
+	/** files_external's own read stream: here the file from memory, seekable. */
+	public function fopen(string $path, string $mode) {
+		$this->fopens[] = $path;
+		$data = $this->connection->file('/home/' . $path);
+		if ($this->fopenFails || $data === null) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		$fh = fopen('php://memory', 'r+');
+		fwrite($fh, $data);
+		rewind($fh);
+		return $fh;
+	}
+
+	public function getRoot(): string {
+		return '/home/';
+	}
+
+	public function getConnection(): FakeSftpConnection {
+		return $this->connection;
+	}
+}
+
+/** The part of phpseclib\Net\SFTP (2.x) that SftpReadStream uses. */
+final class FakeSftpConnection {
+	public int $packet_type = -1;
+	public int $maxInFlight = 0;
+	/** @var list<int> lengths asked for by READ requests */
+	public array $reads = [];
+	/** @var array<string, string> */
+	public array $openHandles = [];
+	/** @var array<int, array{int, string}> answers by request id, in the order the server sent them */
+	private array $answers = [];
+	private int $handles = 0;
+
+	/** @param array<string, string> $files */
+	public function __construct(
+		private array $files,
+		private int $cap = 261120,
+		private ?int $failAt = null,
+		/** READ at or past this offset throws; -1: OPEN throws */
+		private ?int $throwAt = null,
+		/** READ at or past this offset finds the connection gone (phpseclib returns false); -1: OPEN */
+		private ?int $loseAt = null,
+		private bool $closeFails = false,
+	) {
+	}
+
+	public function file(string $path): ?string {
+		return $this->files[$path] ?? null;
+	}
+
+	public function pending(): int {
+		return count($this->answers);
+	}
+
+	public function _realpath(string $path): string {
+		return '/' . trim(preg_replace('#/+#', '/', $path), '/');
+	}
+
+	public function _send_sftp_packet(int $type, string $data, int $id = 1): bool {
+		switch ($type) {
+			case 3: // OPEN
+				if ($this->throwAt === -1) {
+					throw new \RuntimeException('Connection closed by server');
+				}
+				if ($this->loseAt === -1) {
+					return false;
+				}
+				$path = substr($data, 4, unpack('N', $data)[1]);
+				if (!isset($this->files[$path])) {
+					$this->answers[$id] = [101, pack('N', 2)];
+					break;
+				}
+				$handle = 'h' . ++$this->handles;
+				$this->openHandles[$handle] = $path;
+				$this->answers[$id] = [102, pack('Na*', strlen($handle), $handle)];
+				break;
+			case 4: // CLOSE
+				if ($this->closeFails) {
+					return false;
+				}
+				$handle = substr($data, 4, unpack('N', $data)[1]);
+				unset($this->openHandles[$handle]);
+				$this->answers[$id] = [101, pack('N', 0)];
+				break;
+			case 5: // READ
+				$len = unpack('N', $data)[1];
+				$handle = substr($data, 4, $len);
+				['hi' => $hi, 'lo' => $lo, 'n' => $n] = unpack('Nhi/Nlo/Nn', substr($data, 4 + $len));
+				$offset = $hi * 4294967296 + $lo;
+				$this->reads[] = $n;
+				if ($this->throwAt !== null && $this->throwAt >= 0 && $offset >= $this->throwAt) {
+					throw new \RuntimeException('Connection closed by server');
+				}
+				if ($this->loseAt !== null && $this->loseAt >= 0 && $offset >= $this->loseAt) {
+					$this->answers = [];
+					return false;
+				}
+				$file = $this->files[$this->openHandles[$handle]];
+				if ($this->failAt !== null && $offset >= $this->failAt) {
+					$this->answers[$id] = [101, pack('N', 4)]; // FX_FAILURE
+				} elseif ($offset >= strlen($file)) {
+					$this->answers[$id] = [101, pack('N', 1)]; // FX_EOF
+				} else {
+					$chunk = substr($file, $offset, min($n, $this->cap));
+					$this->answers[$id] = [103, pack('Na*', strlen($chunk), $chunk)];
+				}
+				$this->maxInFlight = max($this->maxInFlight, count($this->answers));
+				break;
+			default:
+				throw new \LogicException("unexpected packet type $type");
+		}
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	public function _get_sftp_packet(?int $id = null): string|false {
+		if ($this->answers === []) {
+			throw new \LogicException('waiting for an answer that will never come');
+		}
+		if ($id === null || !isset($this->answers[$id])) {
+			throw new \LogicException("no answer for request $id");
+		}
+		[$this->packet_type, $payload] = $this->answers[$id];
+		unset($this->answers[$id]);
+		return $payload;
+	}
+}

tests/Unit/Backend/StorageBackendListTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Tests\Unit\Backend;
+
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\BackendException;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\StorageBackend;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Tests\Unit\TempDirTrait;
+use OCP\Files\Storage\IStorage;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/** On a remote storage every is_dir() is a round trip: listing index/ must not cost one per pack. */
+class StorageBackendListTest extends TestCase {
+	use TempDirTrait;
+
+	public function testListFilesChecksOnlyTheFolderItself(): void {
+		$dir = $this->tempDir();
+		foreach (['b1', 'a2', 'c3.part-0123abcd'] as $name) {
+			touch("$dir/$name");
+		}
+		$isDirCalls = 0;
+		$storage = $this->createMock(IStorage::class);
+		$storage->method('instanceOfStorage')->willReturn(false);
+		$storage->method('is_dir')->willReturnCallback(function (string $path) use (&$isDirCalls): bool {
+			$isDirCalls++;
+			return $path === 'repo' || $path === 'repo/index';
+		});
+		$storage->method('opendir')->willReturnCallback(fn (string $path) => $path === 'repo/index' ? opendir($dir) : false);
+
+		$backend = new StorageBackend($storage, 'repo');
+		$isDirCalls = 0; // the constructor checks the base folder
+		$this->assertSame(['index/a2', 'index/b1'], $backend->listFiles('index'));
+		$this->assertSame(1, $isDirCalls);
+
+		$isDirCalls = 0;
+		$this->assertSame(['index/a2', 'index/b1'], $backend->list('index'));
+		$this->assertSame(4, $isDirCalls, 'list() checks every entry: the reason listFiles() exists');
+	}
+
+	public function testListFilesOfAMissingFolderIsEmpty(): void {
+		$storage = $this->createMock(IStorage::class);
+		$storage->method('instanceOfStorage')->willReturn(false);
+		$storage->method('is_dir')->willReturnCallback(fn (string $path): bool => $path === 'repo');
+		$storage->expects($this->never())->method('opendir');
+		$this->assertSame([], (new StorageBackend($storage, 'repo'))->listFiles('snapshots'));
+	}
+
+	public function testAnUnreadableFolderIsAnErrorNotEmpty(): void {
+		$storage = $this->createMock(IStorage::class);
+		$storage->method('instanceOfStorage')->willReturn(false);
+		$storage->method('is_dir')->willReturn(true);
+		$storage->method('opendir')->willReturn(false);
+		$this->expectException(BackendException::class);
+		(new StorageBackend($storage, 'repo'))->listFiles('catalog');
+	}
+}

tests/Unit/Repository/IndexCacheTest.php

@@ -51,4 +51,41 @@ class IndexCacheTest extends TestCase {
 		$fourth->restore($r1['snapshot'], $target);
 		$this->assertCount(12, self::hashTree($target));
 	}
+
+	/** The database dump reads in a read-only transaction: a pack that fills up then must not write the cache yet. */
+	public function testHeldCacheWritesWaitForRelease(): void {
+		$cache = new class implements IIndexCache {
+			public array $data = [];
+			public bool $readOnly = false;
+			public function all(string $r): array { return $this->data[$r] ?? []; }
+			public function put(string $r, string $p, array $e): void {
+				if ($this->readOnly) {
+					throw new \RuntimeException('cannot execute INSERT in a read-only transaction');
+				}
+				$this->data[$r][$p] = $e;
+			}
+			public function remove(string $r, array $ps): void { foreach ($ps as $p) { unset($this->data[$r][$p]); } }
+		};
+		$backend = new LocalBackend($this->tempDir());
+		$keys = KeyRing::generate();
+		Repository::initWithKey($backend, $keys, $keys->wrap('pw'));
+		$repo = Repository::openWithKey($backend, $keys, $cache);
+
+		$stats = [];
+		$repo->holdIndexCache();
+		$cache->readOnly = true;
+		$writer = $repo->blobWriter($stats);
+		for ($i = 0; $i < 40; $i++) {
+			$writer->write(random_bytes(1048576)); // more than one 32 MiB pack
+		}
+		$writer->finish();
+		$this->assertGreaterThan(0, count($backend->list('index')), 'a full pack was uploaded during the hold');
+		$this->assertSame([], $cache->data);
+
+		$cache->readOnly = false;
+		$repo->releaseIndexCache();
+		$repo->flushPacks();
+		$this->assertCount(count($backend->list('index')), array_merge(...array_values($cache->data)));
+		$this->assertSame(0, Repository::openWithKey($backend, $keys, $cache)->indexDownloads());
+	}
 }

tests/Unit/Repository/PackReadTest.php

@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace OCA\NgBackup\Tests\Unit\Repository;
+
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\IBackend;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Backend\LocalBackend;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Crypto\KeyRing;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Repository\Repository;
+use OCA\NgBackup\Tests\Unit\TempDirTrait;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/** Restores and deep verifies read a pack as one stream instead of one request per blob. */
+class PackReadTest extends TestCase {
+	use TempDirTrait;
+
+	private string $root;
+	private KeyRing $keys;
+	private string $src;
+	private string $snapshot;
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		$this->root = $this->tempDir();
+		$this->keys = KeyRing::generate();
+		$this->src = $this->tempDir();
+		for ($i = 0; $i < 200; $i++) {
+			file_put_contents(sprintf('%s/f%03d', $this->src, $i), random_bytes(20000));
+		}
+		$backend = new LocalBackend($this->root);
+		$repo = Repository::initWithKey($backend, $this->keys, $this->keys->wrap('pw'));
+		$this->snapshot = $repo->backupDirectory($this->src)['snapshot'];
+	}
+
+	private function open(PackOpenCountingBackend $backend): Repository {
+		return Repository::openWithKey($backend, $this->keys, null, null);
+	}
+
+	public function testFullRestoreOpensEachPackOnce(): void {
+		$backend = new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root));
+		$target = $this->tempDir();
+
+		$this->assertSame(200, $this->open($backend)->restore($this->snapshot, $target));
+
+		for ($i = 0; $i < 200; $i++) {
+			$name = sprintf('f%03d', $i);
+			$this->assertSame(file_get_contents("$this->src/$name"), file_get_contents("$target/$name"));
+		}
+		// One pack: one stream instead of 200 requests.
+		$this->assertSame(1, $backend->packOpens());
+	}
+
+	public function testDeepVerifyOpensEachPackOnce(): void {
+		$backend = new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root));
+
+		$result = $this->open($backend)->verify($this->snapshot, deep: true);
+
+		$this->assertSame(200 * 20000, $result['bytesChecked']);
+		$this->assertSame(1, $backend->packOpens());
+	}
+
+	public function testReadingBackwardsOpensThePackAgain(): void {
+		$backend = new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root));
+		$repo = $this->open($backend);
+
+		$this->assertSame(1, $repo->restore($this->snapshot, $this->tempDir(), 'f150'));
+		$this->assertSame(1, $repo->restore($this->snapshot, $this->tempDir(), 'f050'));
+
+		$this->assertSame(2, $backend->packOpens());
+	}
+
+	public function testThePackStreamIsClosedBeforeAnyOtherRequest(): void {
+		$backend = new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root));
+		$repo = $this->open($backend);
+		$this->assertSame(1, $repo->restore($this->snapshot, $this->tempDir(), 'f010'));
+		$this->assertTrue($backend->packStreamOpen(), 'kept open for the next read');
+
+		$repo->putObject('objects/after-restore', 'data');
+
+		$this->assertSame([false], $backend->packStreamOpenAtPut);
+	}
+
+	public function testAPackStreamThatCannotSeekIsReadUpToTheOffset(): void {
+		$backend = new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root), $this->root);
+		$target = $this->tempDir();
+
+		$this->assertSame(1, $this->open($backend)->restore($this->snapshot, $target, 'f150'));
+
+		$this->assertSame(file_get_contents("$this->src/f150"), file_get_contents("$target/f150"));
+	}
+
+	public function testDeepVerifyOfATruncatedPackStillChecksTheBlobsBeforeTheDamage(): void {
+		$packs = (new LocalBackend($this->root))->list('packs');
+		$this->assertCount(1, $packs);
+		$pack = $this->root . '/' . $packs[0];
+		$fh = fopen($pack, 'r+b');
+		ftruncate($fh, intdiv(filesize($pack), 2));
+		fclose($fh);
+
+		$result = $this->open(new PackOpenCountingBackend(new LocalBackend($this->root)))->verify($this->snapshot, deep: true);
+
+		$this->assertGreaterThan(80 * 20000, $result['bytesChecked']);
+		$this->assertNotSame([], $result['unreadable']);
+		$this->assertSame([], $result['failed']);
+	}
+}
+
+final class PackOpenCountingBackend implements IBackend {
+	/** @var list<string> */
+	public array $gets = [];
+	/** @var list<bool> */
+	public array $packStreamOpenAtPut = [];
+	/** @var resource|null */
+	private $lastPackStream = null;
+
+	/** @param ?string $pipeFrom serve packs as pipes (streams that cannot seek) from this local repository root */
+	public function __construct(
+		private IBackend $inner,
+		private ?string $pipeFrom = null,
+	) {
+	}
+
+	public function packStreamOpen(): bool {
+		return is_resource($this->lastPackStream);
+	}
+
+	public function put(string $path, $stream): void {
+		$this->packStreamOpenAtPut[] = $this->packStreamOpen();
+		$this->inner->put($path, $stream);
+	}
+
+	public function packOpens(): int {
+		return count(array_filter($this->gets, fn (string $p): bool => str_starts_with($p, 'packs/')));
+	}
+
+	public function get(string $path) {
+		$this->gets[] = $path;
+		if (!str_starts_with($path, 'packs/')) {
+			return $this->inner->get($path);
+		}
+		$fh = $this->pipeFrom !== null
+			? popen('cat ' . escapeshellarg($this->pipeFrom . '/' . $path), 'r')
+			: $this->inner->get($path);
+		$this->lastPackStream = $fh;
+		return $fh;
+	}
+
+	public function getRange(string $path, int $offset, int $length): string {
+		$this->gets[] = $path;
+		return $this->inner->getRange($path, $offset, $length);
+	}
+
+	public function exists(string $path): bool {
+		return $this->inner->exists($path);
+	}
+
+	public function move(string $from, string $to): void {
+		$this->inner->move($from, $to);
+	}
+
+	public function list(string $prefix): array {
+		return $this->inner->list($prefix);
+	}
+
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array {
+		return $this->inner->listFiles($dir);
+	}
+
+	public function delete(string $path): void {
+		$this->inner->delete($path);
+	}
+}

tests/Unit/Repository/VerifyTest.php

@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class VerifyTest extends TestCase {
 	}
 }
 
-/** Delegates to a real backend, but getRange() throws for the first $failures calls. */
+/** Delegates to a real backend, but reading a pack throws for the first $failures reads. */
 final class FlakyRangeBackend implements IBackend {
 	public function __construct(
 		private IBackend $inner,
@@ -143,15 +143,22 @@ final class FlakyRangeBackend implements IBackend {
 	}
 
 	public function get(string $path) {
+		if (str_starts_with($path, 'packs/')) {
+			$this->fail();
+		}
 		return $this->inner->get($path);
 	}
 
 	public function getRange(string $path, int $offset, int $length): string {
+		$this->fail();
+		return $this->inner->getRange($path, $offset, $length);
+	}
+
+	private function fail(): void {
 		if ($this->failures > 0) {
 			$this->failures--;
 			throw $this->error ?? new BackendException('connection reset');
 		}
-		return $this->inner->getRange($path, $offset, $length);
 	}
 
 	public function exists(string $path): bool {
@@ -166,6 +173,10 @@ final class FlakyRangeBackend implements IBackend {
 		return $this->inner->list($prefix);
 	}
 
+	public function listFiles(string $dir): array {
+		return $this->inner->listFiles($dir);
+	}
+
 	public function delete(string $path): void {
 		$this->inner->delete($path);
 	}

tests/bootstrap.php

@@ -3,3 +3,13 @@
 declare(strict_types=1);
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
+
+// nextcloud/ocp ships the public interfaces without an autoloader; tests that mock them need one.
+spl_autoload_register(static function (string $class): void {
+	if (str_starts_with($class, 'OCP\\')) {
+		$file = __DIR__ . '/../vendor/nextcloud/ocp/' . str_replace('\\', '/', $class) . '.php';
+		if (is_file($file)) {
+			require $file;
+		}
+	}
+});