tryWithBackoff.sh

#!/bin/bash
FAIL=1 # or some non zero error number you want
MAX_TRIES=4
COUNT=0
BACKOFF=1

if [ $# -lt 1 ];then
  echo "You must provide a command to execute. Commands with arguments must be quoted."
  exit 1
fi

echo "Executing '$1' up to $MAX_TRIES times"

while [  $COUNT -lt $MAX_TRIES ]; do
   ($1)
   if [ $? -eq 0 ];then
      exit 0
   fi

   let COUNT=COUNT+1
   let BACKOFF=BACKOFF*2
   echo "Attempt $COUNT failed retrying after $BACKOFF seconds"
   sleep $BACKOFF
done
echo "Tried and failed $COUNT times. Giving up."
exit $FAIL