CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

Which type of backup captures changes made since the last backup?

1. Incremental

2. Differential

3. Full

4. Online

The correct answer is: Incremental

The answer is correct because an incremental backup specifically captures only the changes made since the last backup was performed, whether that last backup was a full backup or another incremental one. This method is efficient in terms of storage space and backup time since it minimizes the amount of data that needs to be backed up by only focusing on the changes. In a typical backup strategy, incremental backups are used after a full backup to ensure that only new or altered data is saved, making it faster to back up and restore data. For recovery, however, you must have the last full backup and all subsequent incremental backups applied in order, which can complicate the restoration process compared to other backup methods. In contrast, a differential backup captures changes made since the last full backup and grows in size as more changes occur, potentially leading to longer backup times as the number of changes increases. A full backup captures all data every time it is performed, providing a complete snapshot but requiring more time and storage space. An online backup refers to data being backed up over the internet, rather than the specific process of capturing changes.