Introducing New Backup Format (BETA)
The new backup format is based on the following approach: backed up data on storage is always kept as data container. This approach enables keeping backup plans completely independent from each other. Thus, every backup plan is a separate directory that delivers backup data to a specific location on backup storage. This rules out any possible plan interference issues.
Backup data on storage is divided into blocks and a block is a main operating entity. Upon data uploading to backup storage, blocks are combined into data parts. Data part size can vary. A part size depends on uploading speed and backup storage provider limitations. Uploading data by parts enables to continue upload starting from the last successful part in case of backup interruption.
New backup format key features are:
- Client-Side Deduplication
- Mandatory Consistency Check
- Full Consistency Check
- Restore on Restore Points
- Optimized operations with storage, resulting in fewer requests, faster synchronization, and faster purge
- Continued data upload in case of network issues
- Object size up to 256TB to any storage destination
- Optimized performance and storage usage for a large number of small files
- Improved incremental backup performance.
Terms and Definitions
The section contains several new terms and entities that need to be explained to operate them in the future.
Backup Plan
The backup Plan determines the backup data configuration sent to a backup destination. The configuration contains a number of parameters:
- Backup Data
- Encryption
- Compression
- Retention Policy
- Backup Plan Run Schedule
Bunch
Bunch is a notion of a backup plan in the main database. Bunch is linked to a directory in the database which in turn is linked to a destination. A destination can be modified. Bunch is always unique within the cloud folder and the plan type. This approach enables comfortable data deletion on cloud storage since all backup content is stored in one directory.
Generation
Generation is a complete self-contained data set sufficient for data restoration. In other words, generation is a set of a full backup and chain of incremental backups for a specific backup plan.
Restore Point
Restore Point is a partial data set for restore. A full-fledged restore point contains at least one file or directory. If a restore point does not contain any file or directory, it is considered empty, but successful can contain blocks for further subsequent runs. A valid Restore Point guarantees a correct restore of backed-up data. As the opposite, invalid Restore point does not contain a complete data set for restore, but at the same time can contain blocks that are used for restore from other Restore Points.
{% hint style="success" %} It is recommended to schedule full backup at least once every 3 months for selected schedule