What is another term for a hot backup in data systems?

A hot backup, also known as an active backup, refers to a process that allows the system being backed up to remain operational and available to users during the backup process. This means that data can continue to be read from and written to the source system while the backup is taking place, ensuring that users do not experience downtime.

Hot backups are crucial in environments where high availability is necessary, such as in transaction processing systems or websites that require continuous uptime. This method involves capturing data changes in real-time or via snapshots to ensure that a consistent state of the data is saved without interrupting normal operations.

In contrast, other forms of backups, such as cold backups, do not allow users to access the data while the backup is being taken, leading to potential downtime. Static and incremental backups also differ in their characteristics; static backups refer to backup data that does not change after being taken, and incremental backups only save changes made since the last backup, which does not define the operation of being "hot" or active. Thus, active backup aptly describes the functionality of a hot backup, emphasizing continuous operation and availability during the process.