What is a synthetic full backup?

What is a synthetic full backup?

• A. A synthetic full backup is a full backup image built from a prior full backup plus subsequent incrementals on storage, avoiding source data transfer during the backup window.
• B. A synthetic full backup is a full backup that re-reads all source data every time.
• C. A synthetic full backup is a backup that copies only metadata.
• D. A synthetic full backup is a backup stored only offsite.

Answer: (A)

A synthetic full backup is created entirely on the backup storage by combining a previously taken full backup with subsequent incremental backups to form a new full backup image. The backup software does not re-read all the source data during this operation; it uses the existing full backup and the incremental changes to assemble a new complete backup on storage. This reduces the impact on production systems during the backup window while still giving you a full backup set for restores. Traditional full backups re-read all source data to build a new full image, which is why they can be more taxing on networks and systems. Copying only metadata or storing backups offsite do not describe the synthetic full process.

A synthetic full backup is created entirely on the backup storage by combining a previously taken full backup with subsequent incremental backups to form a new full backup image. The backup software does not re-read all the source data during this operation; it uses the existing full backup and the incremental changes to assemble a new complete backup on storage. This reduces the impact on production systems during the backup window while still giving you a full backup set for restores. Traditional full backups re-read all source data to build a new full image, which is why they can be more taxing on networks and systems. Copying only metadata or storing backups offsite do not describe the synthetic full process.