Backup Image Files

ShadowProtect uses the following types of backup image files:

Backup Images

Description

Full

.spf

A stand-alone image file that represents a disk volume at a specific point-in-time. Full backup image files do not rely on any other files.

Incremental

.spi

An image file that contains volume changes relative to another backup image file. You can create Incremental backup image files relative to Full backup images or other Incremental backup images. ShadowProtect also creates an Incremental image file when an existing image file is mounted as a read/write volume and modified.

Incremental backup image files let ShadowProtect offer multiple volume backup strategies, including differential and incremental backup options.

Spanned

.sp_#_

Image files that belong to a spanned image set. Spanned image sets are made by breaking a backup image file into pieces for increased portability (for example, to save the image file on multiple CDs or DVDs).

The actual spanned image file name replaces the pound sign (#) with a number that indicates the position of the file within the spanned image set.

ImageManager

  • -cd.spi, -cw.spi, and -cm.spi
  •  
  • .spk
  • .spwb
  • .cr
  • .bitmap

  • Image files that have been automatically collapsed by ImageManager. The suffix before the file extension indicates if the file is a daily, weekly or monthly collapsed backup files.
  • A password key file used to encrypt backup image files.
  • A temporary "write-back" file used to save changes for a mounted image file volume.
  • A rolling file used by ImageManager consolidation
  • A data file used in optimizing ImageManager consolidation

This section contains the following topics: