Evaluating Backup Algorithms.
Zachary Kurmas, Ann Chervenak · 2000
We present a trace-driven simulator that evaluates the performance of backup algorithms. We use this simulator to compare the performance of the commonly-used level scheme (our name for the algorithm used by the UNIX dump utility) with that of a new algorithm called the Z scheme. We show that the Z scheme has better backup performance than the level scheme and slightly worse restore performance. We also show that the Z scheme consumes less media for backups than the level scheme. 1 Introduction Given the unprecedented increases in magnetic disk drive capacities, university, enterprise, and government data repositories are growing rapidly. Protecting these data repositories using traditional backup techniques is a growing challenge [3]. In this paper, we evaluate four backup strategies. Our eventual research goal is to demonstrate the limits of current backup algorithms and propose new algorithms both for sequential magnetic tape media and for random access alternatives, includi...