Fully Consistent File System Dumps

Two different backup strategies are available when fully consistent file system dumps are required. One approach is to make the file system unavailable for modifications by unmounting it before dumping. The file system can then be remounted in read-only mode if read access is required while the backup is underway. The second approach is to lock the file system against modifications.

Because these methods prevent the file system from being modified during the backup process, they are usually implemented during off hours. However, if user batch jobs are also run during the backup process, their performance can be substantially degraded.