btrfs-received-uuid · shipping · also received_uuid

Btrfs received UUID

A Btrfs received UUID is a subvolume metadata field recording the source subvolume identity associated with a received replication stream.

It differs from the destination's own UUID and is not a content hash. In btrfs-progs v6.17, source lookup tries received UUID and then local UUID; subvol_uuid_search accepts a transid parameter without using it in its body. This observation concerns that lookup, not every check in the receive path. [1] [2]

The property command protects a received read-only base against an ordinary switch to writable state. Its forced path attempts to clear the received identity after changing the flag; a clear failure is warned about. Inspect actual state and preserve the original base for further replication. [3]

Relations

related

btrfs, btrfs-send-stream, btrfs-read-only-subvolume, snapshot

Limitations

• A matching identity does not prove unchanged contents or application-consistent recovery. [1, 2, 3]

Citations

1. btrfs-progs v6.17: source lookup, receive finalization and dump dispatch (accessed 2026-10-18)
2. btrfs-progs v6.17: subvol_uuid_search implementation (accessed 2026-10-18)
3. btrfs-progs v6.17: prop_read_only and UUID reset error handling (accessed 2026-10-18)

Further reading

4. Keeping Btrfs incremental backups recoverable (accessed 2026-10-18)

JSON: /data/terms/btrfs-received-uuid.json