Which backup type copies only data changed since the last backup of any type (full or incremental)?

Which backup type copies only data changed since the last backup of any type (full or incremental)?

• A. Incremental backup
• B. Differential backup
• C. Full backup
• D. Archive backup

Answer: (A)

Incremental backups copy only data that has changed since the last backup of any type, whether that last backup was full or incremental. This makes them the most storage- and time-efficient option after you’ve done an initial full backup, because each subsequent backup only records the new or modified files. For restoration, you’d need the latest full backup plus every incremental backup in sequence to reconstruct the data. In contrast, a full backup copies everything; a differential backup copies all changes since the last full backup; and archive backups are tied to long-term retention rather than changes since the last backup.

Incremental backups copy only data that has changed since the last backup of any type, whether that last backup was full or incremental. This makes them the most storage- and time-efficient option after you’ve done an initial full backup, because each subsequent backup only records the new or modified files. For restoration, you’d need the latest full backup plus every incremental backup in sequence to reconstruct the data. In contrast, a full backup copies everything; a differential backup copies all changes since the last full backup; and archive backups are tied to long-term retention rather than changes since the last backup.