What is the Difference Between Backup and Archive?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between backup and archive lies in their purpose and data retention period. Here are the key differences between the two:
- Backup: A backup is a copy of your current and active data, which can be used for operational recoveries in case of hardware failure, data corruption, or loss. Its primary purpose is to restore your data to a previous point in time. Backups are usually short-term storage and recovery solutions. They support the rapid recovery of live, changing data and are typically one of multiple data copies. Backups are retained as long as the data is actively used.
- Archive: An archive is a repository for data that needs to be kept for a long period of time but is no longer in use or changing. Archiving serves the dual purposes of long-term retention and space management. Archives are usually the only remaining copy of the data and are stored separately from the original data. They are used for compliance, risk aversion, and long-term retention.
In summary, backup is for recovering data from hardware failure, data corruption, or other loss, while archiving helps manage space limitations and long-term data retention. Both backup and archive serve different purposes and are essential for a comprehensive data storage strategy.
Comparative Table: Backup vs Archive
The main difference between backup and archive lies in their purpose and usage. Here is a table summarizing the key differences between the two:
| Feature | Backup | Archive |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Recovery from hardware failure, data corruption, or loss | Space management, compliance, risk aversion, and long-term retention |
| Data Storage Method | The original data remains in place, while a backup copy is stored in another location | Archived data is moved from its original location to a dedicated storage system |
| Data Retention | Short-term retention, typically for active and in-use data | Long-term retention, often for compliance or historical purposes |
| Accessibility | Easily accessible for rapid recovery of data | Less easily accessible, but still searchable and retrievable when needed |
| Organization | Data is stored in a format that enables easy retrieval, such as by date, folder, or file name | Data is organized in a way that allows for location-specific searches and updates as per business requirements |
| Updates | Backup systems may create multiple copies of data, updating each as changes occur | Archived data remains unchanged, and any updates are stored as new versions or deltas |
| Use Cases | For example, a business might use backups to restore a server or database to a specific point in time | A business might use archives to store patient records for a certain period of time, as required by regulations |
In summary, backups are used for short-term retention and recovery purposes, while archives are used for long-term retention and compliance. Both methods serve different purposes and can coexist in a data protection strategy.
- Archival vs Backup
- Library vs Archive
- Backup vs Recovery
- Sync vs Backup
- ZIP vs RAR
- Copy vs Duplicate
- System Restore vs System Recovery
- Duplication vs Replication
- Database vs Data Warehouse
- History vs Archaeology
- Hard Copy vs Soft Copy
- Mirroring vs Replication
- File vs Folder
- SAN vs NAS
- Data Compression vs Data Encryption
- Memory vs Storage
- Curators vs Conservators
- Upload vs Download
- Conservation vs Preservation