Windows server 2012 Practice Test

Which type of backup only captures changed data since the last backup?

1. Full Backup

2. Incremental Backup

3. Differential Backup

4. Mirror Backup

The correct answer is: Incremental Backup

The type of backup that captures only the data that has changed since the last backup is known as an incremental backup. This method is designed to optimize the backup process by recording only new or altered files instead of duplicating the entire dataset each time. When an incremental backup is performed, it identifies all changes made since the most recent backup, regardless of whether that backup was full or incremental. This approach not only saves storage space but also reduces the time required to complete the backup process, making it particularly efficient for environments with large amounts of data that change frequently. When it comes to the other options, a full backup captures all selected data, regardless of any changes, while a differential backup captures changes made since the last full backup, accumulating all changes each time a differential backup is run. A mirror backup serves as an exact copy of the source files at a specific point in time, not specifically targeting only the changed data. This distinction highlights why incremental backups are favored for efficiency and resource management when only altered data is needed from previous backups.