I'd like to start keeping data backups on a network-accessible hard drive. I don't just want to keep the most recent backup, I'd like to keep months worth of backups on the hard drive, depending on what it can hold. I plan to use NTBackup to do this. In order to maximize the history of the backups without using too much disk space, I'm thinking about mixing incremental and differential backups. This would be automated. This would probably be the schedule:
1) Once a month, make a complete "normal" backup. This backs up all relevant files, regardless of the Archive bit. The Archive bit is cleared on all backed up files.
2) Once a week, make an "incremental" backup, which means that it will backup any file that has been changed since the last "normal" or "incremental" backup. It does this by checking the Archive bit. After an "incremental" backup, the Archive bit is cleared.
3) Every day, if we didn't make a "normal" or "incremental" backup, then make a "differential" backup. This means it will backup any file that has changed since the last "normal" or "incremental" backup. It does this by checking the Archive bit. The Archive bit is NOT cleared after a "differential" backup.
Microsoft says not to mix differentials and incrementals. But unless I'm missing something, I think it should work as long as you restore it properly.
To restore, this would be the procedure:
1) Restore the most recent full backup
2) Restore each incremental backup, in order
3) Restore the most recent differential backup
Am I missing something? Before I try to implement this I'd better ask for some more experienced opinions. I've never used ntbackup so I'm nervous I might be doing something stupid. Thanks.
1) Once a month, make a complete "normal" backup. This backs up all relevant files, regardless of the Archive bit. The Archive bit is cleared on all backed up files.
2) Once a week, make an "incremental" backup, which means that it will backup any file that has been changed since the last "normal" or "incremental" backup. It does this by checking the Archive bit. After an "incremental" backup, the Archive bit is cleared.
3) Every day, if we didn't make a "normal" or "incremental" backup, then make a "differential" backup. This means it will backup any file that has changed since the last "normal" or "incremental" backup. It does this by checking the Archive bit. The Archive bit is NOT cleared after a "differential" backup.
Microsoft says not to mix differentials and incrementals. But unless I'm missing something, I think it should work as long as you restore it properly.
To restore, this would be the procedure:
1) Restore the most recent full backup
2) Restore each incremental backup, in order
3) Restore the most recent differential backup
Am I missing something? Before I try to implement this I'd better ask for some more experienced opinions. I've never used ntbackup so I'm nervous I might be doing something stupid. Thanks.
