Incremental Backup vs Continuous Data Protection

Developers should use incremental backup for systems requiring frequent, low-impact backups, such as databases, version control repositories, or production servers, to minimize downtime and storage costs meets developers should learn and use cdp when building or maintaining systems that require minimal data loss and high recovery point objectives (rpo), such as financial applications, healthcare databases, or e-commerce platforms. Here's our take.

Incremental Backup

Nice Pick

Developers should use incremental backup for systems requiring frequent, low-impact backups, such as databases, version control repositories, or production servers, to minimize downtime and storage costs

Pros

• It's ideal when data changes are small relative to the total dataset, enabling quick backup cycles and efficient resource usage in DevOps and IT operations
• Related to: full-backup, differential-backup

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Continuous Data Protection

Developers should learn and use CDP when building or maintaining systems that require minimal data loss and high recovery point objectives (RPO), such as financial applications, healthcare databases, or e-commerce platforms

Pros

• It is particularly valuable in environments with frequent data updates, as it allows for precise rollback to specific moments, reducing downtime and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations
• Related to: disaster-recovery, data-backup

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Incremental Backup is a concept while Continuous Data Protection is a methodology. We picked Incremental Backup based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Incremental Backup wins

Based on overall popularity. Incremental Backup is more widely used, but Continuous Data Protection excels in its own space.