Optimal Reorganization of Distributed Space Disk Files
In most database organizations, the cost of accessing
the database will increase due to structural 
changes caused by updates and insertions.  By reorganizing
the database,the access costs can be reduced. 
 A basic problem is to establish the proper tradeoff between
performance, storage costs, and reorganization 
costs.  This paper considers the optimum points at which
to reorganize a database.  A disk file organization 
which allows for distributed free space is described.
 A cost function describing the excess costs due 
to physical disorganization is defined, and this function
is minimized to obtain the optimum reorganization 
points.  Numerical examples based on the characteristics
of existing disk storage devices are given.
CACM November, 1976
Maruyama, K.
Smith, S. E.
