Backup Strategies
Essential data protection and recovery methods - Complete guide to backup types, strategies, and best practices.
About Backup Strategies
Backup strategies are systematic approaches to creating copies of data to protect against data loss, corruption, or disaster.
- Protect against hardware failures, human error, and cyber attacks
- Ensure business continuity and data recovery capabilities
- Essential for compliance and risk management
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
3
Total Copies
Keep 3 copies of important data (1 original + 2 backups)
2
Different Media
Store copies on 2 different storage media types
1
Offsite Copy
Keep 1 copy stored offsite or in the cloud
Full Backup
Complete copy of all selected data
Pros: Fast recovery, complete restore
Cons: Time-consuming, storage-intensive
Best for: Weekly schedules
Incremental Backup
Only changed data since last backup
Pros: Fast backup, minimal storage
Cons: Slower recovery process
Best for: Daily schedules
Differential Backup
All changes since last full backup
Pros: Faster recovery than incremental
Cons: Grows larger over time
Best for: Mixed schedules
Backup Methods & Storage Options
| Method | Storage Type | Capacity | Speed | Cost | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Hard Drive | Internal/External HDD/SSD | High | Fast | Low | Quick daily backups |
| Network Attached Storage | NAS Device | Very High | Fast | Medium | Centralized business backup |
| Cloud Backup | Online Storage | Unlimited | Variable | Subscription | Offsite protection |
| Optical Media | DVD/Blu-ray | Low | Slow | Very Low | Long-term archival |
| Tape Backup | Magnetic Tape | Very High | Slow | Medium | Enterprise archival |
| USB Drive | Flash Memory | Medium | Fast | Low | Portable personal backup |