full backup

A full backup is a complete copy of all data in a system or storage device. It captures everything at a specific point in time, including files, applications, and settings. This ensures that if data is lost, corrupted, or damaged, you can restore everything to that exact state. Full backups are essential for data protection and recovery, providing a foundational safety net. However, they can take up a lot of storage space and time to perform, which is why organizations often schedule them alongside incremental backups for efficiency.