Forever incremental backups with restic

Permanent incremental backup (or forever incremental backup) involves backing up only the changes made to data since the last backup, in this mode, there is no longer a full backup. This approach significantly reduces the volume of data to be transferred and stored, offering an economical and fast solution for data protection.

Using the Restic backup engine

Restic is a backup software designed to be fast, secure, and efficient. It is particularly suited for Linux servers for several reasons:

• Ease of use: With Restic, complexity does not equal efficiency. Its simplicity of installation and configuration makes it a preferred choice for system administrators.
• Enhanced security: Restic encrypts data before sending it to the storage location, ensuring robust protection against unauthorized access.
• Storage flexibility: Compatible with various storage solutions (local, cloud, S3, etc.), Restic allows easy integration into the existing infrastructure.
• Efficient restoration: The ability to quickly restore data from any incremental backup point improves system resilience.

Constraints of permanent incremental backup

It imposes the need to:

• Regularly test backups: Data restoration and reboot tests should be regularly organized.
• Monitor storage space: Although incremental backup reduces the use of object storage space, regular monitoring is necessary to avoid any surprises.
• Secure your backup repository: The storage location is secure and protected from unauthorized access.