OPTIMIZING DATA BACKUP SCHEDULES

Backup schedule optimization is provided. Backup environment data is identified. Data describing a first backup schedule is identified. Performance metric data that includes data for a data storage array of computer data storage device(s) of a backup server is collected. Data describing backup log(s) that associated with jobs backed up to the data storage array and respectively executed during backup window(s) is received. A target average I/O rate is determined based on the performance metric data of the data storage array. A second backup schedule is generated based on the target average I/O rate, average I/O rate(s) of the data storage array, the backup environment data, and the data describing one or more backup logs. A start time of a job is scheduled in the second backup schedule for a different time in a backup window compared to a start time of the job in the first backup schedule.