Backup Types
There are four backup types: mirror backup, full backup, differential backup and incremental backup. Following is a quick overview of each type of backup.
Mirror backup
A Mirror backup is similar to a full backup, but instead of compressing and possibly password protecting the file, the files are copied over to the backup location. This method has the advantage that it is quick to get access to files within the backup without any special tools or having to wait.
For more information look at the mirror backup page.
Full backup
This backup type is what most people commonly understand as a back up it is a complete copy of the data that is to be backed up, with all the files and the folders in the appropriate places, because of this the full back tends to take the longest time but also means that the restore operation is the quickest.
For more information look at the full backup page.
Differential backup
Differential backups are ones where all the changes since the last full backup are kept. The cuts down on the restore time in comparison to an incremental backup which is advantageous but does mean that at some point diminishing marginal returns kick in and it makes more sense to do a full backup again.
For more information look at the differential backup page.
Incremental backup
Incremental backup is where only the changes since the last back up are stored, whatever type of back up it be. This means that it takes the least amount of time to back up, when compared to the other backup methods, but this also means that it takes the longest to do a restoration, and this time may be critical especially when dealing with real time systems, where every second of downtime counts.
For more information look at the incremental backup page.