BACKUP AND RECOVERY

Definition:

Backup is the process of creating copies of data, applications, and systems to ensure data preservation and availability in case of data loss, corruption, or disaster.

Types of Backup:

• Full Backup: Copies all data and files, regardless of whether they have changed since the last backup.
• Incremental Backup: Backs up only the data that has changed since the last backup, reducing storage space requirements.
• Differential Backup: Backs up all changes since the last full backup, offering a balance between full and incremental backups.
• Synthetic Backup: Combines full and incremental backups to create a single backup set, useful for faster restores.
• Continuous Data Protection (CDP): Real-time, continuous backup of data changes.

Backup Methods:

• On-site Backup: Storing backups on the same premises or local network.
• Off-site Backup: Storing backups at a remote location, protecting against physical disasters.

Recovery:

Definition: Recovery is the process of restoring data, applications, and systems to a functional state after a data loss or disaster event.

Types of Recovery:

• Bare-Metal Recovery: Restoring an entire system, including the operating system, applications, and data.
• File-Level Recovery: Restoring individual files or folders from backups.
• System Recovery: Restoring the operating system and essential system files.

Disaster Recovery (DR):

DR Plan: A comprehensive strategy outlining steps for data and system recovery in case of major disasters. High Availability (HA): Ensuring continuous operations through redundancy and failover mechanisms.

Recovery Points:

• Recovery Time Objective (RTO): Maximum acceptable downtime before full recovery.
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO): Maximum acceptable data loss in case of recovery.