HP BB118BV - StorageWorks Data Protector Express Package Tutorial page 4

What next?
For ease of recovery, it's advisable to keep archived data on separate media to the regular backups.
Generally, you do not expect to reuse media that you are using for archived data and it is good practice to
store the archived media off site.
Decide what types of backup to run
The different backup types allow you to make the best use of your media and the time available to run
backup. However, different types of backup require different types of restores.
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Full backup is the starting point for all other backups. It contains all the data in the folders and files
that you select for the backup. Restore is a single job.
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A differential backup contains all files that have changed since the last full backup. It is a smaller
and consequently faster backup than a full backup. However, the backup size can become nearly as
large as a full backup if it is run many times on fast changing data. The time for a system restore
using a differential backup is longer than from a full backup because it must start with a full backup
before the differential backup is restored.
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An incremental backup contains all files that have changed since the last backup, which may have
been full, differential or incremental. Incremental backups take the least time to complete, allowing
them to be run more frequently. The time for a system restore is increased because it must start with a
restore from a full backup then a restore of each incremental backup in order.
Your first backup should always be a full backup to back up your system and data and optionally include
a Verify step. This verifies that the data has been successfully backed up by reading it again. Subsequent
backups may be Full or partial (Differential or Incremental). It's sensible to run a full backup at regular
intervals, say weekly, with partial backups in between.
The Modes settings on the Job Options page of the Backup job define the type of backup that will be run.
Decide on a media rotation strategy
Media rotation defines the frequency with which backups are run and the time for which they are kept.
A media rotation is not used for archiving data because by definition the arhive is kept indefinitely.
Day-to-day backup, however, is usually more short-term and designed to ensure that your working data is
protected until you no longer need the files or are in position to archive them. You are, therefore, likely to
overwrite the backup (reuse the media), but it is important to ensure that nothing is overwritten while it
may still be needed. The HP Data Protector Express Software backup wizard allows you to implement a
media rotation strategy when you select your scheduling options and helps ensure you make best use of
your media and protect it from being overwritten while the data on it is still required for protection against
loss of or damage to the primary data.
HP Data Protector Express Software supports a number of common media rotation types and also allows
you to define your own custom type. To learn more about media rotation concepts and types, refer to the
User's Guide and Technical Reference.
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