3 Types of Backups Every IT Professional Should Know
3 Types of Backups Every IT Professional Should Know
Backups are the backbone of data protection — but not all backups are created equal. Here’s a simple breakdown of the three main types 👇
🧩 1️⃣ Full Backup
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Takes a complete copy of all selected data.
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Example: Monday’s backup includes everything.
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✅ Easy to restore, ❌ Takes more time and space.
🔁 2️⃣ Incremental Backup
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Saves only the data that changed since the last backup (full or incremental).
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Example:
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Monday → Full
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Tuesday → Incremental (changes since Monday)
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Wednesday → Incremental (changes since Tuesday)
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✅ Fast & space-efficient, ❌ Slower restore (needs full + all incrementals).
⚙️ 3️⃣ Differential Backup
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Saves all changes made since the last full backup.
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Example:
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Monday → Full
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Tuesday → Differential (changes since Monday)
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Wednesday → Differential (changes since Monday again)
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✅ Faster restore, ❌ Uses more space than incremental.
