Synthetic full backups
Synthetic full backups are a strategy in data protection that creates a full backup by combining a previous full backup with subsequent incremental or differential backups. This process is performed without the need to read all data from the source, providing efficiency in terms of time and resource usage. Here’s a detailed overview of synthetic full backups.
The characteristics of synthetic full backups include:
- Combining incremental or differential backups: Instead of creating a new full backup by reading all data from the source, a synthetic full backup combines a previous full backup with subsequent incremental or differential backups.
- Reduced source impact: Since synthetic full backups don’t involve reading data directly from the source, they reduce the impact on the source system. This is particularly beneficial when the source system experiences high workloads or performance constraints.
- Creation at the backup location: Synthetic full backups are typically created at the backup location or storage repository rather than at the source system. This can be performed by the backup software or appliance.
The advantages of synthetic full backups include:
- Reduced source load: By not directly accessing the source system, synthetic full backups minimize the impact on the source system’s performance during backup operations
- Time and resource efficiency: Creating a synthetic full backup is often faster and more resource-efficient than reading all data from the source, especially in scenarios with large datasets
- Storage efficiency: Synthetic full backups contribute to storage efficiency by consolidating changes from incremental or differential backups into a new full backup without duplicating unchanged data
The considerations for synthetic full backups include:
- Dependency on previous backups: Similar to incremental and differential backups, synthetic full backups depend on the availability of the previous full backup and subsequent incremental or differential backups
- Storage impact: While synthetic full backups contribute to storage efficiency, they still require sufficient storage space to store the consolidated full backup
The use cases include:
- Reducing backup window: Synthetic full backups are suitable for scenarios where reducing the backup window is critical, as they can be created faster than traditional full backups
- Minimizing source impact: Organizations with source systems that are sensitive to performance impact during backup operations can benefit from synthetic full backups
- Storage optimization: Synthetic full backups contribute to storage optimization by creating consolidated full backups without duplicating unchanged data
In summary, synthetic full backups offer a strategy to create efficient full backups by combining previous full backups with incremental or differential backups. They provide advantages in terms of reduced source impact, time efficiency, and storage optimization, making them a valuable component of a comprehensive backup strategy.
