Types of Data Backups Explained

19% of those who experienced a ransomware attack recovered data through a backup.

A data attack can come out of nowhere. In a recent Capterra survey, of the 37% of companies who have been subject to a ransomware attack in the past 12 months, 19% say data was lost but then recovered from the attack using data backup (without pay ransom), and only 3% did not pay ransom or have a data backup strategy and accepted permanent loss of data.* 

As a small business owner, data may feel like an afterthought. However, you don’t have to be a large corporation to be susceptible to data breaches or cyber-attacks. One successful breach is all it takes for a business to lose their fortune. But where to begin? 

In this article, we discuss the different types of backups and which one will be suitable for your business. We will go over some tips when choosing and next steps to begin the process for your business.

What is a data backup, and why is it important? 

A data backup is essentially a copy of important files or information stored on a separate medium or location from the original data source. This copy serves as a safeguard against data loss due to various factors such as hardware failure, accidental deletion, malware attacks, or natural disasters.

Data backups are crucial for several reasons:

1. Protection: They ensure that critical data is safe and can be restored in case of unexpected events like hardware failures, system crashes, or cyberattacks.

2. Continuity: For businesses, data backups are vital for maintaining operations during crises. They minimize downtime and allow quick recovery, enabling the business to continue functioning even in adverse situations.

3. Compliance: Many industries have legal obligations to maintain data backups for compliance purposes. This ensures that sensitive information is protected and accessible when needed.

4. Peace of mind: Knowing that data is securely backed up provides peace of mind to individuals and organizations, reducing anxiety associated with potential data loss.

5. Recovery: In case of accidental deletion or corruption of files, having backups readily available facilitates quick restoration, minimizing productivity losses.

Overall, data backups are a fundamental aspect of data management and play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity, security, and continuity of operations for businesses alike, regardless of size.

Types of data backups

Before beginning your journey to finding the perfect data backup for your business, it’s important to know and understand the options available.

Full backups

If wanting to ensure all data is updated, this would be called a full data backup. This involves making a complete copy of all data stored on a system or a specific device. It captures every file, folder, application, and system setting present at the time of the backup, creating an exact replica of the original data.

Here are some key characteristics of a full data backup:

• Comprehensive coverage: Every bit of data, including system files, user files, applications, and settings, is copied during a full backup. This ensures that nothing is overlooked or left out.

• Time-consuming: Full backups can be time-consuming, especially when dealing with large volumes of data. The time required depends on factors such as the amount of data being backed up and the speed of the backup system.

• Resource intensive: Full backups consume significant storage space and resources since they replicate everything. This can be a consideration when planning backup strategies, especially for organizations with limited resources.

• Complete restore point: Full backups serve as complete restore points. In the event of data loss or corruption, restoring from a full backup ensures that the system can be returned to its exact state at the time of the backup.

• Regular schedule: Full backups are typically performed on a regular schedule, which could be daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the organization's backup policies and data retention requirements.

While full backups provide comprehensive protection and ensure a complete restore point, they can be resource-intensive and may not be practical for frequent or real-time backups of large datasets. In such cases, organizations often use a combination of full, incremental, and differential backups to balance data protection needs with resource constraints.

Incremental backups

Incremental data backup is a backup strategy that involves copying only the data that has changed since the last backup, regardless of whether it was a full backup or another incremental backup. Instead of duplicating all data, incremental backups capture and store only the new or modified files since the last backup operation.

Here are some key features of incremental data backups:

• Efficiency: Incremental backups are more efficient in terms of time and resources compared to full backups because they only back up changes made since the last backup. This reduces the amount of data transferred and the time required to perform the backup.

• Storage space: Incremental backups require less storage space than full backups since they only store changes rather than duplicating entire datasets. This can be particularly advantageous for organizations with limited storage resources.

• Faster backup times: Because incremental backups only capture changes, they can be completed more quickly than full backups. This is especially beneficial in environments where downtime must be minimized.

• Restore process: When restoring data from incremental backups, the backup software needs to retrieve the last full backup and all subsequent incremental backups since that full backup. The full backup is restored first, followed by each incremental backup in chronological order until the desired restore point is reached.

• Dependency on full backups: Incremental backups are dependent on the last full backup. If the full backup is corrupted or unavailable, restoring data from incremental backups may not be possible.

Incremental backups are commonly used as part of a backup strategy alongside full backups. By combining full backups with incremental backups, organizations can achieve a balance between data protection, efficiency, and storage space utilization.

Differential backups

Differential data backup is a backup strategy that captures and stores all changes made to data since the last full backup. Unlike incremental backups, which only backup changes since the last backup (whether it's a full or incremental backup), differential backups capture changes since the last full backup regardless of any subsequent backups.

Here are some key features of differential data backups:

• Captures changes since last full backup: Differential backups capture all changes made to data since the last full backup. This means that each differential backup contains all changes made since the last full backup, regardless of any intermediate backups that may have occurred.

• Efficiency: Differential backups are more efficient in terms of restore operations compared to incremental backups because only one full backup and the most recent differential backup are needed to restore data to a specific point in time.

• Storage space: Differential backups require more storage space than incremental backups because they capture all changes made since the last full backup. Over time, the size of differential backups can grow significantly, especially if frequent changes are made to data.

• Restore process: When restoring data from differential backups, only the last full backup and the most recent differential backup need to be restored. This simplifies the restore process compared to incremental backups, where multiple backup sets may need to be restored to reach the desired restore point.

• Dependency on full backups: Like incremental backups, differential backups are dependent on the last full backup. If the full backup is corrupted or unavailable, restoring data from differential backups may not be possible.

Differential backups are commonly used as part of a backup strategy alongside full backups. While they require more storage space than incremental backups, they offer a simpler restore process and can be more efficient for certain use cases, especially when frequent changes are made to data.

Choosing the right type of data backup for your business

When considering the right data backup choice, there are several factors such as the amount of data you have, your budget, the importance of data integrity, recovery time objectives (RTOs), and regulatory compliance requirements. Here are common categories of the 3 different types of back-ups to consider:

• Frequency: How often do you need to back up your data? If it is more often, then the Full Backup is for you. If less often, then you can go with Differential. 

• Restore time: Determine your recovery point objective (RPO) and recovery time objective (RTO). RPO refers to the maximum acceptable amount of data loss, while RTO refers to the maximum tolerable downtime. Incremental Backup has the longest restore time while the Differential is the quickest. 

• Dependency: This asks how dependent the backup is on previous data backups. Full backup is independent – it's not reliant on other backups , while Differential relies completely on the last full backup. 

• Efficiency: If you are concerned about the amount of storage, then Incremental is the right fit, while Full Backup uses the most space. 

• Resources: Evaluate your budget constraints and determine how much you can allocate to backup solutions. Remember to consider not only the cost of backup software and storage but also ongoing maintenance and monitoring expenses. The Full Backup uses the most while Incremental uses the least. 

Now it is time to look at your business and figure out how the above categories align with your business model.

1. Assess your data: Start by assessing the volume and type of data your business generates and stores. Consider factors such as the criticality of the data, how frequently it changes, and its sensitivity (e.g., personal or financial information).

2. Understand data backup types: Familiarize yourself with different backup types, including full, incremental, and differential backups. Understand their pros and cons in terms of storage space, backup time, and restore process.

3. Assess storage infrastructure: Assess your existing storage infrastructure and determine if you have the capacity and scalability to accommodate your backup needs. Consider factors such as on-premises storage, cloud storage, or a hybrid approach.

4. Evaluate compliance requirements: Determine if your business is subject to any regulatory compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) that dictate specific backup and data retention policies. Ensure that your backup strategy aligns with these regulations.

5. Test backup solutions: Test different backup solutions to see how they perform in your environment. Consider factors such as ease of use, reliability, and speed of backups and restores.

6. Implement redundancy: Consider implementing redundancy in your backup strategy by using multiple backup types or locations. This helps mitigate the risk of data loss due to hardware failures, human error, or cyberattacks.

7. Document backup policies: Document your backup policies and procedures, including how often backups are performed, where they are stored, and who is responsible for managing and monitoring them. Ensure that all relevant stakeholders are aware of these policies.

8. Regularly review and update: Regularly review and update your backup strategy to ensure that it remains aligned with your business needs, technological advancements, and regulatory requirements.

By following these steps and considering your specific business requirements, you can choose the right type of data backup that provides adequate protection for your critical data while also being cost-effective and efficient.

Services and tools to help with your data backup strategy

There are numerous services and tools available to assist with data backup strategies, catering to various needs, preferences, and budgets. Here are some options: cloud backup services, on-premises backup solutions, hybrid, open-source, data backup appliances, and backup management platforms.