Transaction Log to Preserve the Audit Trail

GFS BACKUP TECHNIQUE

 The grandfather-father-son (GFS) is a back-up technique employed by systems that use sequential
master files (whether tape or disk). It is an integral part of the master file update process.

 The systems designer determines the number of backup master files needed for each application. Two
factors influence this decision: (1) the financial significance of the system and (2) the degree of file activity.

Grandfather-Father-Son Approach

BACKUP PROCESS IN BATCH SYSTEM USING DIRECT ACCESS FILES

 Each record in a direct access file is assigned a unique disk location or address that is determined by its
primary key value.

 The destructive update approach leaves no backup copy of the original master file.

Destructive Update Approach