Execution Context
This function implements differential backup logic to capture only modified data blocks following a full baseline. It scans the file system for timestamp deltas, constructs incremental delta sets, and writes them to the repository. This approach reduces storage costs and network bandwidth compared to full backups while enabling rapid restoration of recent changes without re-downloading entire datasets.
The system initiates a scan phase to identify files modified since the last complete backup operation, establishing a temporal boundary for data capture.
An algorithm compares current file hashes against the baseline registry to generate a delta set containing only changed or deleted records.
The computed delta set is serialized and persisted to the backup storage layer, tagged with metadata indicating its dependency on the preceding full backup.
Operating Checklist
Initialize session by retrieving the ID of the most recent full backup performed.
Execute file system scan to collect metadata for all files modified since that baseline timestamp.
Compute hash differences to construct the final differential dataset excluding unchanged blocks.
Serialize and upload the delta set to the target storage location with appropriate versioning tags.
Integration Surfaces
Backup Scheduler
Triggers the differential job upon completion of the designated full backup cycle or at configured intervals.
File System Monitor
Detects file modification events and feeds change metadata to the ingestion pipeline for delta calculation.
Storage Engine
Accepts the serialized delta payload and performs deduplication before committing blocks to the backup repository.
