Python script to synchronize two http servers

sync.py

#!/usr/bin/python
# this script have two functions:
#
# A: Gatherer
# 1) gets all updated files, excluding the files under symlinks
# 2) makes an archive file with a password, containing all updated files
# 3) places it as a downloadable file on the docroot
#
# B: Updater
# 1) download an archive file with a password, containing all updated file, from another server
# 2) unfreeze the archive
# 3) update all the files at the correspoding locations or create new files there

import sys
import shutil
import commands

path = "/var/www/html/"
password = "something"
archivefile = "my_last_updated_files.zip"
archivepath = path+archivefile
counterarchivefile = "downloaded_last_updated_files.zip"
counterarchivepath = path+counterarchivefile
interval = 10
pasttime = interval +5

def freeze():
    global path, pasttime, password, archivepath
    find = "/usr/bin/find "+path+' -xdev ! -path "*/tmp*" ! -path "*/cache*" ! -path "*/log*"  ! -name "*_last_updated_files.zip" -mmin -'+str(pasttime)
    zip = "/usr/bin/zip -P "+password 
    cmd1 = "rm "+archivepath
    print cmd1
    commands.getoutput(cmd1)
    cmd2 = find+" -exec "+zip+" "+archivepath+" {} +"
    print cmd2
    result = commands.getoutput(cmd2)

def whoami():
    cmd = "/bin/hostname"
    result = commands.getoutput(cmd)
    return result

def counterpart():
    me = whoami()
    if me == "xxx":
        return "192.168.z.x"
    else:
        return "192.168.z.y"

def download():
    global archivefile, counterarchivepath
    url = "https://"+counterpart()+"/"+archivefile
    cmd = "/usr/bin/wget --no-check-certificate --tries=2 --timeout=10 "+url+" -O "+counterarchivepath
    print cmd
    result = commands.getoutput(cmd)
    return result

def melt():
    global password, counterarchivepath
    unzip = "/usr/bin/unzip -u -B -P "+password+" -d / "
    #unzip = "/usr/bin/unzip -u -o -B -P "+password+" -d "+path
    cmd = unzip+" "+counterarchivepath
    print cmd
    result = commands.getoutput(cmd)

if sys.argv[1] == "UP":
    freeze()
elif sys.argv[1] == "DOWN":
    download()
    melt()
else:
    print "argment should be either UP or DOWN"