Types of Backups

Backup creates a duplicate copy of the content on a hard disk and then records the data on the different storage device. Backup is very useful utility in case the original data on the hard drive is overwritten, deleted or is not available due to hard disk failure. In such cases, the data can be easily restored from the archived copy. Backup utility enables to backup data from the files or folders stored on the local volume or on the network.
The backup utjlity supports five types of backup on your system, they are:

> Normal Backups - Enables to backup all the selected files and folders and marks each file as backed up. Archive attribute is not used in the normal backup, in order to determine which files or folders to back up because it transfers all, the files and folders to the destination media. An archive attribute is a flag that is set on file in case a file is modified. The archive attribute is available in the file properties. The archive attribute is set to clear in this type of backup. Normal backups are time consuming and it requires more storage capacity as compared to other types of backups. However, this type of backups is most efficient to restore the data because it creates a complete backup. Normal backup is usually created the first time when backup set is created. Backup set refers to the collection of files or folders that is backed up and stored in a file or on some other storage device, such as, tape drive.

> Incremental Backups - Enables to create backups of only those files that are created or modified since the last normal or incremental backups and marks the file as backed up. The archive attribute is set to clear. When you perform an incremental backups one day after normal backup is performed, then the incremental backup will contain only those files that are created or modified on that day. Incremental backups are fastest type of backup. This type of backups is less efficient because to restore the backup you first need to restore normal backup and then restore each subsequent incremental backup in order of their creation.

> Differential Backups - Enables to create backups of only those files that are created or modified since the last normal or incremental backups. However, it does not mark the file as backed up. The archive attribute is not cleared. When you perform differential backups for two days, then the differential backup of the second day will contain all the files that are included in the first backup as well as contain the files that are created or modified on the second day. The differential backups are more efficient than the incremental backups because to restore the backup you first need to restore normal backup and then restore the recent differential backup.

> Copy Backups - Enables to create backups of all the files that you have selected. However, it does not mark the file as backed up. The archive attribute is not cleared. Copy backup is useful when you want backup of files between normal and incremental backup, as it does not affect these backup process.

> Daily Backups - Enables to create backups of all the files that you have selected and are modified on the day when daily backup is taken. However, it does not mark the file as backed up. This type of backup is useful when you want backup of the files that are modified on that day without affecting the backup schedule. The archive attribute is not cleared.