An operation that creates a copy of the data that exists on a machine's hard disk for the purpose of recovering or reverting the data to a specified date and time.
A set of rules configured by a user when creating a new backup. The rules control the backup process. Later you can edit the backup settings to change or optimize the backup process.
The result of a single backup operation. Physically, it is a file or a set of files that contains a copy of the backed up data as of a specific date and time. Backup version files created by Acronis True Image Lite 2013 have a TIB extension. The TIB files resulting from consolidation of backup versions are also called backup versions.
Sequence of minimum 2 backup versions that consist of the first full backup version and the subsequent one or more incremental or differential backup versions. Backup version chain continues till the next full backup version (if any).
Combining two or more subsequent backup versions belonging to the same backup into a single backup version.
The consolidation procedure allows you to delete the backup versions you no longer need from any backup chain while maintaining the consistency of chain's backups. A chain to be consolidated consists of a full backup and one or more incremental backups. Consolidation keeps whichever backups you choose and deletes any backups that are not selected. Note that consolidation may take a lot of time and system resources (including disk space).
Acronis Nonstop Backup uses a different consolidation mechanism. In such cases, the program consolidates the metadata information it uses for managing the backed up data. This is because the metadata information volume is much less than the backed up data volume. Accordingly, consolidation requires much less time and system resources.
Nonstop backup actually is a disk/partition or file backup that is created using the Acronis Nonstop Backup feature. This is a set of one full backup version and a sequence of incremental backup versions that are created at short intervals. It gives almost continuous protection of data, that is, it allows recovery of previous data state at any recovery point you need.
Nonstop protection - the process that the Nonstop Backup feature performs when it is turned on.
Online backup - a backup that is created using Acronis Online Backup. Online backups are stored in a special storage named Acronis Cloud, accessible over the Internet. The main advantage of an online backup is that all backups are stored on the remote location. It gives a guarantee that all backed up data will be safe independently of a user local storages. To begin to use Acronis Cloud a user should subscribe to the service.
Recovery is a process of returning of a corrupted data to a previous normal state from a backup.