Backup and Recovery of On-Line Information in a Computer Utility
Abstract
The thesis describes a design for an automatic backup mechanism to be incorporated in a computer utility for the protection of on-line information against accidental or malicious destruction. This protection is achieved by preserving on magnetic tape recent copies of all items of information known to the on-line file system. In the event of a system failure, file system damage is automatically assessed and missing information is recovered from backup storage. For isolated mishaps, users may directly request the retrieval of selected items of information. The design of the backup mechanism presented in this thesis is based upon an existing backup mechanism contained in the Multics system. As compared to the present Multics backup system, the new design lessens overhead, drastically reduces recovery time from system failures, eliminates the need to interrupt system operation for backup purposes, and scales up significantly better with on-line storage growth.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- AD0774141
Entities
People
- Jerry A. Stern
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology