iSACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certification Practice Exam

Which backup type combines the advantages of both full and incremental backups, only backing up files changed since the last full backup?

1. Full backup

2. Incremental backup

3. Differential backup

4. Continuous data protection

The correct answer is: Differential backup

The option that combines the advantages of both full and incremental backups by backing up only the files that have changed since the last full backup is the differential backup. This backup method captures all changes made since the last complete backup, which allows for quicker recovery of data compared to incremental backups, as fewer steps are needed to restore everything from the last full backup along with the most recent differential backup. Differential backups are particularly beneficial because they balance the storage requirements and backup time. They require more storage than incremental backups since they accumulate changes until the next full backup, but they enable faster recovery compared to incremental backups, which would involve restoring multiple backup states (the last full backup plus every incremental backup since then) to get to the most current point in time. This method helps organizations maintain a more efficient backup system while still providing an effective way to recover data. The other types of backups mentioned have different recovery and storage characteristics that do not provide the same combination of benefits as differential backups do.