Backup Capacity Calculator
Professional storage planning tool for full, incremental, and GFS backup strategies
Backup Configuration
Total size of data to be backed up
Choose your backup approach
How long to keep backup copies
How often full backups run
Expected compression (0% = no compression)
Expected deduplication (0% = none)
GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) Retention
Additional long-term retention copies (optional)
Capacity Requirements
Total Backup Capacity Required
0 TB
Source Data Size
0 TB
Full Backups
0 TB
After Compression
0% reduction
After Deduplication
0% reduction
Recommended Capacity
0 TB
Recommendation: Add 20% overhead for optimal performance and growth.
Understanding Backup Strategies
Full Backup
Complete copy of all data every time a backup runs. Simplest strategy but requires the most storage space.
- Fastest restore time
- Simplest to manage
- Each backup is independent
- Best for small datasets
Full + Incremental
Periodic full backup followed by incremental backups of only changed data. Most storage-efficient approach.
- Minimal storage required
- Fastest backup speed
- Efficient network usage
- Best for large datasets
Full + Differential
Periodic full backup followed by differential backups of all changes since the last full. Balance between full and incremental.
- Faster restore than incremental
- Only need full + last differential
- Simpler restore process
- Good balance for most scenarios
GFS Retention
Grandfather-Father-Son keeps weekly, monthly, and yearly copies for long-term retention and compliance.
- Long-term data retention
- Compliance requirements
- Historical point-in-time recovery
- Disaster recovery protection
Compression
Reduces backup size by compressing data before storage. Effectiveness varies by data type.
- Reduces storage costs
- Faster network transfers
- 40-60% typical reduction
- Works best on text/databases
Deduplication
Eliminates duplicate data blocks across backups. Most effective with similar backup sets over time.
- Major storage savings
- 20-80% typical reduction
- Cumulative benefits over time
- Best for virtual environments