Differential Backups

Abstract

Setting up a structured, recurring backup does not stop with just a scheduled full backup. That is only half the battle; to be honest, a third of the battle. A good backup strategy reduces the overall risk to the data stored in the database. One of the most effective ways to reduce risk is by decreasing the total number of “links” in your backup chain (i.e., the total number of files you have to restore in the case of a disaster). Every file that gets created during a backup has a chance of being corrupted. If you have a large number of backups in a restoration, you run a greater risk of having corrupted data somewhere for that restoration cycle; the longer the chain, the greater the risk. This is where differential backups enter the backup strategy.