What are the advantages and disadvantages for using differential database backups and restores?
• Advantages • May need less time for the backup if a small percentage of extents are marked to be backed up. • May use less storage for the backups if a small percentage of extents are marked to be backed up. • May be able to keep more backups on disk as compared to full backups because the differential backups are much smaller. • May use less bandwidth when moving backup files around the network because the files are smaller as compared to the full backups. • Disadvantages • Depending on the time interval between the last differential backup and the failure, data loss may occur. If the amount of data loss is unacceptable, then transaction log backups are needed. • Point in time recovery • The restore time may not be any faster if the most recent full backup and the last differential backup must be restored either from local disk or tape as compared to issuing full backups on a daily basis and restoring the last full backup. • If data is changed across a high percentage of extents, th
