To protect your data, you will likely use a combination of backup types. (For a discussion of the different backup types, see Backup types.) When you execute different types of backups for a client, the Unitrends system organizes them into backup groups. The system creates a group when you run a new full backup. Each subsequent differential and incremental backup forms a link in the chain of backups that constitute the group. Each link in the chain is necessary for performing point in time restores. When you execute a new full backup (or when the system creates a synthetic full backup), the system creates a new group associated with the full backup. (For information about restoring files from backups, see Restore Overview).
The following diagrams illustrate backups groups:
The diagram below shows two backup groups containing full, differential, and incremental backups.
Note: Selective backups are supported only for file-level backups.
Selective backups exist independently of backup groups. The diagram below illustrates a backup group and selective backups for one client. Both a selective backup and an incremental backup ran on Day 3. On Day 5, a differential backup and a selective backup ran. However, only the incremental and the differential belong to the group associated with the full backup run on Day 1.