Bare-metal backup

Discover the power of Bare-metal Backup, a comprehensive data protection method that captures and restores entire systems, including the operating system and applications.

Definition

Bare-metal backup is a type of backup that captures an exact copy of a computer system's hard drive, including the operating system, applications, and data. This type of backup is used to create a complete system image that can be used to restore the system in the event of a catastrophic failure, such as a hardware failure or virus attack.

Explanation

Bare-metal backup captures a complete snapshot of a system's hard drive, including all the files, settings, and configurations required to run the system. This type of backup is useful for restoring a system quickly and efficiently in the event of a disaster, as it eliminates the need to reinstall the operating system and applications manually.

Bare-metal backup typically involves backing up the entire hard drive to a separate storage device, such as an external hard drive, network-attached storage (NAS), or cloud storage. This backup can be created manually or automatically using backup software.

Restoring a system from a bare-metal backup typically involves booting the system from a bootable media, such as a USB drive or DVD, and then restoring the system image from the backup. This process can take some time, depending on the size of the backup and the speed of the storage device.

Bare-metal backup is commonly used in enterprise environments where system downtime can be costly and disruptive. By creating a complete system image, organizations can quickly restore a system to its previous state and minimize the impact of a disaster.

Related terms

• System image: A complete copy of a computer system's hard drive, including the operating system, applications, and data.

• Disaster recovery: The process of restoring data, systems, and operations after a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster or cyber attack.

• Backup software: A software application that is used to create, manage, and restore backups of data and systems.

• Hard drive: The primary storage device in a computer system, used to store the operating system, applications, and data.

• Recovery time objective (RTO): The amount of time it takes to restore a system to a functional state after a disaster.

• Recovery point objective (RPO): The amount of data loss that an organization can tolerate in the event of a disaster.