This article explains backup modes and when best to use each.
DESCRIPTION
Issue
When creating backup strategies, there is concern which strategy is best to use. This article will explain each backup mode and which is best depending on your environment and requirements for recovery point objectives.
Backup Mode Selection
Unitrends supports a number of backup modes to ensure flexible protection policies for various types of data. A single job can use one backup mode, but Unitrends can leverage multiple backup modes across various jobs. The below table will help you choose the best mode for your strategy.
Ranking
Backup Mode
Comments
Best
Incremental Forever
Provides the fastest backup window after the first full backup
Recommended for VMware, Hyper-V and most file-level backups
Reads the full disk once and then processes only changes going forward
Better
Full / Incremental
Recommended for Exchange backups
Recommended if you want to control when full backups are taken for the purpose of backup copy management
Recommended when you want to force a full read of all data periodically
Inline deduplication ensures that even full backups only write changes to the backup storage
Good
Full / Differential
Recommended for SQL backups with additional transaction log protection for RPOs as low as one-minute
Recommended if you want to simplify recovery of backup copies from tape at the expense of longer backup copy times compared to full / incremental
Inline deduplication ensures that even full backups only write changes to the backup storage
Okay
Fulls
Recommended for Citrix XenServer backups
Recommended when RPOs are very long (one week or longer)
Can be used with Incremental Forever if you only want full backups to be periodically copied to backup copy storage
Inline deduplication ensures that even full backups only write changes to the backup storage