Macrium Reflect can create Full, Differential, and Incremental images to optimize backup speed and disk space requirements.
When you image a volume for the first time it is referred to as a Full image. A Full image file contains all of the data stored in the volume. Macrium Reflect provides two alternative methods of backing up your data after the initial full image has been completed:
- A Differential image that backs up all the data that has changed on the volumes since the last Full image was taken.
- An Incremental image that backs up all the data that has changed on the volumes since the last image was taken whether that is a Full, an Incremental or a Differential image.
These methods significantly reduce the amount of disk space and time required to create image files and make it possible to restore your system from intermediate points within the backup chain.
Note:In order to restore a differential image, you must have the original full and the differential image you wish to restore. To restore an incremental image, you must have the original full and all subsequent incremental images in the backup set.