<
operating system> A kind of
backup that copies all files
which have changed since the date of the previous
backup. The
first
backup of a file system should include all files - a
"
full backup". Call this level 0. The next
backup could
also be a full level 0
backup but it is usually much quicker
to do a level 1
backup which will include only those files
which have changed since the level 0
backup. Together the
level 0 and level 1 backups will include the latest version of
every file. Level 1 backups can be made until, say, the
backup tape is nearly full, after which we can switch to level
2. Each level includes those files which have changed since
the last
backup at a lower level. The more levels you use,
the longer it will take to restore the latest version of a
file (or all files) if you don't know when it was last
modified.
Compare
differential backup.
(2004-03-01)