System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems

Example—Dump Levels for Daily, Incremental Backups

The following example shows a schedule where you capture only a day's work on different tapes. This type of backup is referred to as a daily, incremental backup. In this case, sequential dump level numbers are used during the week (3, 4, 5, 6) with a lower number (2) on Friday. The lower number on Friday restarts the processing.

Figure 23–2 Incremental Backup: Daily Incremental

Illustration shows approximately equal amount of tape
needed for a daily discrete backup that starts on Monday and finishes on Friday.

In the preceding example, you could have used the sequence 6, 7, 8, 9 followed by 2, or 5, 6, 7, 8 followed by 3. Remember, the numbers themselves have no defined meaning. You attribute meaning by ordering them in a specified sequence, as described in the examples.