incremental backup

incremental backup

   <operating system> A kind of {backup} that copies all files
   which have changed since the date of the previous backup.  The
   first backup of a file system should include all files - a
   "{full backup}".  Call this level 0.  The next backup could
   also be a full level 0 backup but it is usually much quicker
   to do a level 1 backup which will include only those files
   which have changed since the level 0 backup.  Together the
   level 0 and level 1 backups will include the latest version of
   every file.  Level 1 backups can be made until, say, the
   backup tape is nearly full, after which we can switch to level
   2.  Each level includes those files which have changed since
   the last backup at a lower level.  The more levels you use,
   the longer it will take to restore the latest version of a
   file (or all files) if you don't know when it was last
   modified.

   Compare {differential backup}.

   (2004-03-01)