normalized-magnitude-data-loss · research · also NOMDL

Normalized magnitude of data loss (NOMDL)

Normalized magnitude of data loss (NOMDL) is the expected number of bytes lost per usable terabyte within a stated mission time.

Related Observatory article: Normalized magnitude of data loss (NOMDL) on hesela.com

Greenan, Plank and Wylie proposed NOMDL in 2010 to report loss magnitude and capacity together. [1] The time horizon and underlying model must accompany the value; normalization does not validate failure assumptions.

Relations

related

mean-time-to-data-loss, failure-domain, erasure-coding

Citations

1. Mean time to meaningless: MTTDL, Markov models, and storage system reliability, Greenan, Plank, and Wylie, USENIX HotStorage 2010 (USENIX PDF, independent academic source) (accessed 2026-10-15)
2. Eleven nines: what a durability model does not prove (accessed 2026-10-15)

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