Help on Windows 2000 backup

[Almorga]

I need one of you gurus recomendation on a good backup strategy. Should I use Normal,copy,differential,incremental or daily??

In a nutshell what is the difference ... should i combine the two???

Thks

 

[hewissa]

Your strategy depends on the files you plan on backing up. In understanding the different types of backup features, you could then decide what is best for you.

Normal Backup
During a Normal type of backup, every file on the system is backed up, and the Archive bit is turned off. Actually, there are certain files that are not backed up, as specified in the Registry (see this Tip-of-the-Day for more information). This backup takes the longest to perform, but is the most complete type of backup, and the easiest to restore from. In order to do a full system restore, you would first install the Windows XP/2000 operating system, then restore the files from the latest Normal (full) backup.

Incremental Backup
During an Incremental type of backup, only files that have the Archive bit turned on are backed up. In other words, only files that have been changed since the last backup will be backed up. After being backed up, the Archive bit will be turned off on each file. This type of backup is usually the quickest, since the number of files that change on a system are generally a small percentage. It can be the longest backup type to restore from, however. In order to do a full system restore, you would first install the Windows XP/2000 operating system, then restore the files from each Incremental backup that was performed, in order (that's important), starting with the files from the most recent Normal backup, if one was performed. For this reason, Incremental backups are generally used only in conjunction with Normal backups.

Differential Backup
A Differential backup type is similar to Incremental, in that it backs up only files that have the Archive bit turned on. It differs in that after backing files up, it leaves the Archive bit alone, and does not turn it off. This means that files that have been changed will be backed up during each Differential backup until either a Normal or Incremental backup is performed to turn the Archive bit off. This backup takes the same or somewhat longer than an Incremental backup, but is much easier to restore from. In order to do a full system restore, you would first install the Windows XP/2000 operating system, then restore the files from only the most recent Differential backup. If a Normal backup was performed, you would restore the files from that backup, and then restore from the most recent Differential backup.

Daily
The Daily backup type is sort of an Differential off-shoot. In this backup type, only files that were changed (have the archive bit on), during the current day are backed up, and the Archive bit is left unchanged. This backup type is generally not used as part of a recovery program, because in order to do a full system restore, you would have to have a Normal backup, and then a Daily backup from each and every day since the Normal backup.

Copy
A Copy type of backup is similar to a Normal backup, except that it leaves the Archive bit unchanged. This backup type can be used to back up any selected files, regardless of whether or not the Archive bit is turned on, and will leave the Archive bit the same as before the backup. This is most commonly used between Normal and Incremental backups.

Quoted from:

http://windows.about.com/library/weekly/aa010610a.htm

Hewissa

MCSE, CCNA, CIW

 

[ricpinto]

Well said Hewissa . . .
FYI: ALMORGA.
Most people use either incremental or diff.
Majority use Normal(full backup) and incremental combination. You need all the tapes during restore. While in differential you need only 2 tapes Normal and the recent diff tape. The drawback of diff is it takes longer to backup compared to incremental.

Depending on the size of the company.. Normal back up will take hours, incremental will take only minutes and differential will takes longer than incremental.