Archival logging is another backup method that you can use to supplement operating system utilities. Archival logging allows you to keep a log of all database operations since your last backup. In case of a system failure, you can restore the data files from backup then roll forward the changes from the log file to return the database to the state it was in prior to the system failure.

Continuous operations allows you to backup database files while the database engine is running and users are connected. After starting Continuous Operations, the database engine closes the active data files and stores all changes in temporary data files (called delta files). When the backup is complete, you turn off Continuous Operations. The database engine then reads the delta file and applies all the changes to the original data files.

See Logging, Backup, and Restore for additional information about backing up and restoring databases.