A differential backup copies all data that has changed since the most recent full backup.
Backup window/storage: Each differential is smaller and faster than running a new full backup, though larger than an incremental.
Restore speed: Only the last full and the latest differential set are required, so recovery is much faster than piecing together every incremental in the chain.
Incremental backups have the shortest backup time and smallest size, but restoring requires the full plus every incremental, increasing recovery time.
A full backup meets the restore goal but takes the most time and space each night.
A mirror backup is essentially another full copy, consuming similar resources and offering no version history.
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