Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!apple!chuq
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Inefficiency with DiskFit 1.5 during backups
Keywords: Sub-optimal use of free disk space on floppies during inc. backup
Message-ID: <28859@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 12 Apr 89 22:00:36 GMT
References: <1122@atux01.UUCP>
Organization: Life is just a Fantasy novel played for keeps
Lines: 33

>Optimally, this should require 27 or 28 disks, but
>instead it is using about 31 disks.  I find that SOME disks, after doing
>incrementals, have anywhere from 50K to 250K unused!  I thought DiskFit was to
>shuffle things around so that it weould make maximum use of ALL free space on
>the backup disks, but repeatedly since I began using DiskFit 2 years ago, this
>in NOT the case!

Yes and no. Yes, DiskFit will try to use disks as effiently as possible, but
no, it won't move files around unless they've changed. DiskFit also won't
release a disk from a DiskFit set, either, so the size of the DiskFit
archive matches the highwater mark of your disk usage.

I've mentioned both limitations (they aren't problems or bugs -- that's the
way DiskFit is supposed to work) to Dantz, and have been told they'll look
into it. What I suggested was (1) to allow a migration option so that files
can move from the end of the DiskFit backup to lower numbered disks when
possible, and (2) to allow a floppy to be de-commissioned without having to
scrag the set and starting over [although, if you read my recent posting on
floppy disks going bad out from under you, maybe that's not a bad idea every
few months....].

No bugs here -- just design features that are different than what you'd
want. 



Chuq Von Rospach       -*-      Editor,OtherRealms      -*-      Member SFWA
chuq@apple.com  -*-  CI$: 73317,635  -*-  Delphi: CHUQ  -*-  Applelink: CHUQ
      [This is myself speaking. No company can control my thoughts.]

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