Data backup definition
Data backup refers to the practice of copying data from a primary to a secondary location so a user or organization can retrieve it after a data loss event. While data backup is often automated, it can also be performed manually. Data backup is essential for individuals and organizations to ensure that important data remains secure and is not lost in the event of theft, software failure, or disaster.
Data backup types
- Full backup. A full backup is a complete backup that makes a copy of all data in a secondary location (e.g., a hard drive or online cloud storage). Full backups are typically less frequent than other backup types.
- Incremental backup. Incremental backups only copy the data that has changed since the last backup of any type. These types of backups are typically more frequent than full backups.
- Differential backup. Differential backups are similar to incremental backups because they copy all the data that’s changed since the previous backup. However, each time a differential backup runs, it continues to copy all data changed since the last full backup.
Types of data storage
- Internal or external hard drives.
- Removable media
- Cloud storage
