I have an update on the rfcp of .dat files with/without compression (see
also my presentation on this argument, on December 15:
https://indico.desy.de/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=2468)

 I have run again 35 times the rfcp of a millepede data file (+ possible
compression/uncompression) on the batch system and then mediated the total
time of the operation. The original size of the dat file was 3.29 GB that
was reduced to 1.66 GB after gzipping (now with "-1" option == fastest
compression), to 1.69 GB after compression with "bzip2 -1" and to 2.06 GB
when using lzop (also with "-1" option). Lzop is available from
http://www.lzop.org/. The compression/uncompression is done in parallel to
the rfcp process, by means of fifos.


 The average times are:

---------------------------------------------
Operation               Compr'd File    Avg
                        File?   Size    Time
---------------------------------------------

cp local->CASTOR        No      3.29GB  123s
gzip, cp loc->CASTOR    Yes     1.66GB  144s
bzip, cp loc->CASTOR    Yes     1.69GB  633s
lzop, cp loc->CASTOR    Yes     2.06GB   81s

cp CASTOR->local        No      3.29GB  117s
cp CASTOR->loc, gunzip  Yes     1.66GB   69s
cp CASTOR->loc, bunzip2 Yes     1.69GB  232s
cp CASTOR->loc, lzop -d Yes     2.06GB   75s


 The transfer rate was smaller wrt the one reported on December 15, and in
these conditions it looks like the compression with "gzip -1" can help in
speeding up the file transfer.