Possibly a new type of image backup?

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timg11
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:31 pm

Possibly a new type of image backup?

Post by timg11 »

Today, we have full image backups, differential, and incremental. The last two include only changes from previous full or incremental images, respectively.

IMHO, the most likely image restoration scenario is that a significant issue or hardware failure would require a full image restoration.
In rarer cases, an issue could go unnoticed for a while, requiring restoring an earlier image.

I'd like to propose a new type of differential - I'd call it a reverse differential.
The process would complement the process of performing regular full image backups.
Following a full image backup, a reverse differential would capture the differences between the most recent full image, and a prior full image.
If it was ever necessary to restore to an earlier time, the combination of the full image and the reverse differential would allow that. Once the reverse differential was created, the prior full image could be deleted.

This would give the benefit of always having a full image of the most recent state, making the most likely restoration scenario require a single step. It also preserves an ability to restore to an earlier state if necessary, without the storage requirements of retaining multiple full images.

Is this a concept that Terabyte has thought about? Does it seem useful?
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3598
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Possibly a new type of image backup?

Post by TeraByte Support »

restoring incrementals or differentials is one step, pick the day of the one
to restore. Just all files are need to be accessible. You also have the
"consolidate" option if you want to build a full from some day.

"timg11" wrote in message news:14525@public.image...

Today, we have full image backups, differential, and incremental. The last
two include only changes from previous full or incremental images,
respectively.

IMHO, the most likely image restoration scenario is that a significant issue
or hardware failure would require a full image restoration.
In rarer cases, an issue could go unnoticed for a while, requiring restoring
an earlier image.

I'd like to propose a new type of differential - I'd call it a reverse
differential.
The process would complement the process of performing regular full image
backups.
Following a full image backup, a reverse differential would capture the
differences between the most recent full image, and a prior full image.
If it was ever necessary to restore to an earlier time, the combination of
the full image and the reverse differential would allow that. Once the
reverse differential was created, the prior full image could be deleted.

This would give the benefit of always having a full image of the most recent
state, making the most likely restoration scenario require a single step. It
also preserves an ability to restore to an earlier state if necessary,
without the storage requirements of retaining multiple full images.

Is this a concept that Terabyte has thought about? Does it seem useful?

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