Types and methods of backup

Types of backups

You can do both full and incremental backups:

In a full backup, everything is backed up.
In an incremental backup, only files changed since a previous backup are written to the backup media.

Data ONTAP supports three backup methods:

Using the Data ONTAP dump command.
Using an NDMP-compliant backup application. For more information about NDMP, see Chapter 5, Using NDMP Services.
Using commands or a non-NDMP-compliant application from an NFS client or a CIFS client, such as the tar or cpio command on an NFS client.
Caution
If you use the tar or cpio command on an NFS client to back up the storage system, be aware that some versions of these commands fail with file systems that contain long path names, unusual file names, or hard links.

The following table compares the backup methods.

	storage system dump command	NDMP applications	Commands or non-NDMP applications on NFS or CIFS client
Where backup is initiated	Initiates the backup session from the storage system console or from a trusted host through the `rsh` command.	Initiate the backup session from the computer running the NDMP application.	Initiate the backup session from an NFS client or a CIFS client.
What is backed up	Backs up any files or directories.	Back up any files or directories.	Back up the files or directories that are mounted or shared by the client.
Where data is backed up	Backs up data to tape drives attached to the storage system being backed up, to another storage system, or to another computer that supports the `rmt` protocol.	Back up data to tape drives attached to the storage system being backed up, to the computer running the NDMP application, or to another storage system, as well as to NDMP-compliant tape libraries.	Back up data to tape drives attached to the client or, if the client supports the `rmt` protocol, to tape drives attached to the storage system. The details are application-dependent.
What attributes are preserved	Preserves both NFS and CIFS attributes.	Preserve both NFS and CIFS attributes.	Preserved attributes are application-dependent.