There are more than ten different types of data backup. Here are four of the most common ones.
Full backup
As the name implies, a full backup is when every single file and folder in the system is backed up. A full backup takes longer and requires more space than other types of backups but the process of restoring lost data from backup is much faster.
Incremental backup
With incremental backup, only the initial backup is a full one. Subsequent backups only stores changes that were made since the previous backup. The process of restoring lost data from backup is longer but the backup process is much quicker.
Differential backup
Similar to an incremental backup, a differential backup copies all data changed since the last full backup every time it is run.
Advantage: A differential backup provides a way of backing up changed data to the same convenient location as all new data.
Disadvantage: A differential backup requires more time and space to complete.
Mirror backup
A mirror backup, as the name suggests, is when an exact copy is made of the source data. The advantage of mirror backup as opposed to full, incremental, or differential backups, is that you’re not storing old, obsolete files. With mirror backups, when a file in the source is deleted, that file is eventually also deleted in the mirror backup. Because of this, mirror backups should be used with caution as a file that is deleted by accident or through a virus may also cause the mirror backups to be deleted as we
Local Backup
Local backups are any kind of backup where the storage medium is kept close at hand or in the same building as the source. It could be a backup done on a second internal hard drive, an attached external hard drive, CD/ DVD –ROM or Network Attached Storage (NAS). Local backups protect digital content from hard drive failures and virus attacks. They also provide protection from accidental mistakes or deletes. Since the backups are always close at hand they are fast and convenient to restore.
Cloud Backup
This term is often used interchangeably with Online Backup and Remote Backup. It is where data is backed up to a service or storage facility connected over the Internet. With the proper login credentials, that backup can then be accessed or restored from any other computer with Internet Access.
More and more are choosing local backup together with cloud backup, just in case something wrong happens to the physical storage. If you just want to choose one between, it is suggested to first read
Cloud Backup vs. Local Backup: Which is The Better Option? and then make your decision.
