Data Back Up Flashcards

What is the difference between a full backup and a partial backup?

Answer: A full backup copies all data regardless of changes, while partial backups (incremental or differential) only copy data that has changed

A full backup creates a complete copy of all data every time it runs, while partial backups (incremental or differential) only copy data that has changed since the last full or last backup.

Why is it important to store backup copies in a different physical location?

Answer: Offsite storage protects data from localized disasters such as fires, floods, or theft that could destroy both original data and local backups

Offsite backup storage ensures that a catastrophic event at your primary location does not destroy both your original data and its backup simultaneously.

What is a backup retention policy?

Answer: A defined schedule that specifies how long different backup copies are kept before being deleted or overwritten

A backup retention policy defines how long backup copies are maintained, balancing the need for historical data recovery against storage costs and compliance requirements.

What is continuous data protection (CDP)?

Answer: A backup method that automatically saves every change to data as it occurs, enabling recovery to any point in time

CDP captures every change made to data in real time, creating a continuous journal that allows restoration to any point in time, not just the last scheduled backup.

What should you consider when choosing a cloud backup provider?

Answer: Encryption standards, data center locations, compliance certifications, recovery capabilities, and the provider's data retention and privacy policies

Evaluating a cloud backup provider should consider encryption (in transit and at rest), data center locations for compliance, certifications, SLA guarantees, recovery speed, and privacy policies.

What is the risk of not testing your backup restoration process?

Answer: You may discover during an actual emergency that backups are incomplete, corrupted, or the restoration process fails, leaving you unable to recover critical data

Without regular testing, backup failures, corruption, or procedural issues may go undetected until a real disaster occurs, when it is too late to fix them.