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What is Incremental Backup?
Incremental backup is a technique used in data backup and recovery processes to only store and transfer changes made to the original data since the last full or incremental backup. It is a backup strategy that helps save storage space, minimize backup time, and reduce network bandwidth usage.
Effect of Incremental Backup
The effect of using incremental backup is that it optimizes the backup process by only storing and transferring the data that has been modified or added since the last backup. This means that only the changed or new files are backed up, rather than the entire system or a full copy of the data.
In comparison to other backup methods, such as full backup and differential backup, incremental backup offers several advantages. It reduces the backup window, as only the changes need to be processed. It also saves storage space, as fewer data blocks are stored. Additionally, incremental backups provide more flexibility in terms of data restoration, as they enable the restoration of the original data plus all the changes made since the last full or incremental backup.
Method of Incremental Backup
The method of performing incremental backups involves the following steps:
1. Full Backup: The initial backup is performed, which involves creating a complete copy of the entire data set. This serves as the baseline for subsequent backups.
2. Incremental Backup: After the full backup, subsequent backups are performed at regular intervals. In incremental backup, only the files that have changed or been added since the previous backup are backed up. This is achieved by comparing the timestamps or using other methods to identify the modified or new files.
3. Storage of Backup Data: The incremental backup data is stored separately from the original data or other backup sets. Depending on the backup system or software used, different storage mediums like tapes, external hard drives, or cloud storage can be utilized.
4. Backing up Changes Only: During subsequent backups, the incremental backup process only considers the changes made since the last backup. It identifies the modified or new files and incrementally updates the backup copy.
5. Restoration: To restore the data, the last full backup and all subsequent incremental backups need to be restored in sequential order. This reconstructs the data to its latest version.
Overall, incremental backup is an efficient method for backing up data by capturing and storing only the changes made since the last backup. It helps reduce storage space requirements, backup time, and network bandwidth usage, while ensuring data integrity and providing flexibility in data restoration.
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