A configuration backup is specifically meant to save the device's current configuration settings, which can be reapplied if new changes cause problems. This provides a direct way to return the network device to a known operational state without having to manually configure each setting. In contrast, a state backup would include runtime information which is transient and not practical for rollback purposes. Full backups and snapshots typically refer to server or data backups and would not be as relevant for individual network device configuration settings.