Backup Chain is the ordered set of full and incremental/differential backups required to reconstruct a restore point.
Simple definition
Backup Chain is the ordered set of full and incremental/differential backups required to reconstruct a restore point. It belongs to the Backup / PRA vocabulary and is useful when reading architecture diagrams, product documentation, logs, or administration procedures.
What is it used for?
Its main purpose is to understand which dependencies must remain intact to restore a given point. The practical value depends on the surrounding architecture, security model, and operational requirements.
How does it work?
The backup software combines a base full with blocks or files from subsequent backups according to the backup method.
Key points
- Scope: The ordered set of full and incremental/differential backups required to reconstruct a restore point.
- Operational goal: Understand which dependencies must remain intact to restore a given point.
- Implementation: The backup software combines a base full with blocks or files from subsequent backups according to the backup method.
Points to watch
A backup is reliable only if restore is tested; document RPO/RTO, retention, immutability, and chain dependencies.
In short
Backup Chain = the ordered set of full and incremental/differential backups required to reconstruct a restore point. Use it when you need to understand which dependencies must remain intact to restore a given point.