When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn What Does Cold Backup Mean?
A cold backup is a backup that is performed while a database or system is offline or in shutdown mode. By contrast, other kinds of backups may be performed while a database is running and data is flowing into or out of the database or data warehouse structure.
The idea behind a cold backup is that if the backup occurs while a database is not running, it is easier to back up some files and forms of information that may be compromised if the backup attempt transpires while those files are in flux.
Techopedia Explains Cold Backup
Experts have discussed certain scenarios and operating systems (OS) where a cold backup may be a better option. On the other hand, a cold backup’s main drawback is that for data recovery to occur, a system essentially must stop.
Some managers get around the idea of downtime by conducting cold backups on dormant shifts, when data activity is already very low or nonexistent. Cold backups can be useful for disaster recovery and other plans to safeguard valuable data, and can be performed using various backup media, such as tape or disks, or by routing data from the offline database to a cloud hosting system.
