Glossary of Terms

Online, Offline, Onsite & Offsite Backups

Keyword Definition
Audit Trail A chronological record that provides evidence of activities, processes, or events to verify compliance.
Backup A replica of data captured at a specific moment and stored in a distinct place from the original data.
Backup Compression The process of reducing the size of backup files by removing redundant data and compressing the remaining data.
Backup Encryption The process of applying encryption to backup files is implemented with the purpose of safeguarding them from unauthorized access and theft.
Backup Frequency The regularity of performing backups is determined by factors such as the quantity and importance of the data being backed up.
Backup Legislative Compliance The process of ensuring that data backups are performed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Backup Retention The duration for which backups are stored, generally determined by regulatory demands and guidelines set by the organization.
Backup Validation The process of verifying the integrity and completeness of backup data to ensure its reliability for restoration purposes.
Backup Verification The process of ensuring that backups can be restored successfully and that the data restored is accurate and complete.
Bare-Metal Restore The complete reinstatement of a system, encompassing the operating system, applications, and user data, starting from the beginning.
Cloud Backup "A backup method that utilizes storage in the cloud as its location, offering advantages such as adaptability, expandability, and economical efficiency."
Cloud-Based Storage The storage of data on remote servers accessed through the internet, offering flexible and scalable storage solutions.
Compliance The act of adhering to and following rules, regulations, and standards set by authorities.
Data Loss The deliberate or accidental eradication of information, resulting from mistakes made by individuals, malfunctioning hardware, or malicious software.
Data Redundancy The duplication of data in different physical or logical locations to ensure its availability in case of data loss or system failures.
Differential Backup A type of backup that captures and stores only the modifications made to data since the previous complete backup, resulting in faster execution and lower storage requirements.
Disaster Recovery The process that involves restoring data and systems to a functional state following a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster or cyber attack.
Full Backup A complete backup is a data backup method that duplicates all the information stored on a system at a specific moment. It typically takes longer and occupies more storage capacity compared to incremental backups, but
In-House Backup A backup conducted by the organization's own IT department using locally accessible resources.
Incremental Backup A backup that solely captures the modifications made to data since the previous backup.
Magnetic Tape Backup A storage medium that employs magnetic tape for backing up data, commonly used to store vast amounts of information at a low cost for extended periods.
Off-Site Backup A backup stored away from the original data to shield against physical harm to the original data.
Offline Backups The process of backing up data to physical storage devices that are disconnected from the network.
Offsite Backups Backup copies of data and files at a remote location, separate from the original data source.
On-Site Backup A backup that is stored in the same location as the original data, allowing for quick access in case of a failure, but lacking protection.
Online Backups The process of backing up data to a remote server or cloud-based storage over the internet.
Onsite Backups Storing backup copies of data and files at the same physical location as the original data source.
Physical Server Backup A backup of a physical server is the process of capturing and storing the complete configuration, data, operating system, and applications of the server.
Remote Server A computer server located at a different physical location than the user, accessible via a network or the internet.
Third-Party Backup An external service provider performs a backup that is not done in-house. This backup option can be more affordable and offer extra features, like automatic backups.
Virtual Server Backup A backup process that records the entire state of a virtual machine, including its data, configuration settings, and system state.