Backup vocabulary

For channel professionals helping customers handle backups across a network, determining a solid data backup and recovery plan is essential. Here are 11 basic backup terms to know.

1. Backup storage: Backup storage is a copy of the storage in use so that, if the storage medium such as a hard disk fails and its data is lost, the data can be recovered from the copy.

2. Cold backup: A cold backup, also called an offline backup, is a database backup when the database is offline and thus not accessible for updating.

3. Cold/warm/hot server: A cold server is a backup server whose purpose is solely to be there in case the main server is lost.

4. Disk-to-disk-to-tape: Disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) is an approach to storage backup and archiving in which data is initially copied to backup storage on a disk storage system and then periodically copied again to a tape storage system (or possibly to an optical storage system).

5. hot backup: A hot backup, also called a dynamic backup, is a backup performed on data even though it is actively accessible to users and may currently be in a state of being updated.

6. jump drive: A jump drive - also known as a USB drive, flash drive, keychain drive, or disk-on-key - is a plug-and-play portable storage device that uses flash memory and is lightweight enough to attach to a key chain.

7. restore: In data management, restore is a process that involves copying backup files from secondary storage (tape, Zip disk or other backup media) to hard disk.

8. restore point: A restore point is a saved "snapshot" of a computer's data at a specific time. Restore points are a component of the Windows System Restore utility.

9. tape backup: Backing up to tape involves periodically copying the contents of all or a designated amount of data from its usual storage device to a tape cartridge.

10. virtual tape: Virtual tape is an archival storage technology that makes it possible to save data as if it were being stored on tape although it may actually be stored on hard disk or on another storage medium.

11. Zip drive: A Zip drive is a portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files.

This tip originally appeared on SearchWinComputing.com.

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