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by Josefine Fouarge on Oct 15, 2026, 8:00:00 AM
Time to restore a 2 TB server from cloud backup over a 100 Mbps connection, at a typical throughput.
NovaBACKUP restore-time estimate (see table below)
Every client server you take on comes with the same set of decisions:
- What to protect?
- How changes get captured?
- Where the copies live?
- How fast the server has to come back?
The correct answer to each question depends on the server's operating system, the site's bandwidth, and the client's applicable compliance rules.
This guide walks you through the decision-making process for a single client server and highlights the recovery process. For more information on server backup setup, scheduling, and testing, see our server backup best practices blog post.
Table of Contents
- What to Protect on a Client Server: Files, Applications, or the Full System
- Files and System in One Job, or Separate Jobs?
- How Backups Capture Changes on a Client Server
- Where to Store Client Server Backups: Local, Cloud, or Hybrid
- How Long a Server Restore Takes from the Cloud
- What to Ask a Backup Vendor Before You Buy
- Your Decision Path for Each Client Server
- Frequently Asked Questions
What to Protect on a Client Server: Files, Applications, or the Full System
A client server typically requires multiple types of backup, each of which covers a different recovery scenario.
| Backup Type | What It Captures | Use It For | Typical Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| File | Selected files and folders, with version history | Restoring a deleted or overwritten file without touching the rest of the server | Several times a day to daily |
| Application | Databases and application data in a consistent state (SQL Server, Exchange, Hyper-V VMs) | Line-of-business databases and VM-level recovery | Daily or more often, matched to the client's RPO |
| System (image / DR) | OS, settings, drivers, applications, and data for a full disk or partition | Bare-metal recovery after hardware failure or ransomware, hardware refreshes, physical-to-virtual moves | Weekly or after major changes |
Most client servers require file and application backups for day-to-day restores and system backups for full recovery. Since the operating system, drivers, and installed applications change far less frequently than the data on the server, system backups typically run on a slower schedule than file and application jobs. Our guide to file, application, and image backup provides detailed information on each type.
For servers with tight recovery time objectives (RTOs), check if your backup software can create system backups as VHDx files or in a way that allows you to boot the system backup as a Hyper-V virtual machine. This ensures that the client can continue working while replacement hardware is shipped. Once the new hardware arrives, perform a bare-metal restore to move the entire system back to its original state.
Files and System in One Job, or Separate Jobs?
For example, a single NovaBACKUP job can include both files and the system state and send them to local and cloud storage simultaneously. Although the option is available, most client servers find it easier to run separate jobs long term.
File backups typically run several times a day and require a longer retention period so that older versions can be restored. System backups run less often and require fewer versions. Separate jobs allow you to customize the schedule and retention period for each one. When a job fails, you immediately know which type of recovery is at risk. Reserve the combined job for small, simple servers where one schedule fits both.
How Backups Capture Changes on a Client Server
After the initial full backup, the backup scheme determines what each subsequent backup sends to the storage location and what is required for a restore.
| Scheme | Each Run Sends | A Restore Needs | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full + incremental | Changes since the last backup, plus a new full on a schedule | The last full plus every increment since | One damaged increment can break the chain; scheduled fulls add storage and time |
| Full + differential | All changes since the last full, plus a new full on a schedule | The last full plus the latest differential | Each differential grows until the next full |
| Incremental forever | One initial full, then only new or changed data | Any single backup point because each increment links to the complete dataset | No scheduled fulls; retention removes only data a complete restore no longer needs |
For 1 TB of data with a daily change of 10%, daily backups, and a 30-day retention period, full-only backups use approximately 30 TB. Full + differential backups with a new full backup every 15 days use about 23 TB. An incremental forever backup uses approximately 3.9 TB.
To calculate the necessary storage for a specific client server, enter its data size, change rate, and retention period into our backup calculator.
For client sites with limited upload bandwidth, this determines whether nightly backup jobs to cloud storage finish within the backup window. This is where an incremental forever backup scheme becomes useful, as after the initial backup, each subsequent backup sends only the changed files or blocks identified by date, size, and other attributes. This makes it possible to back up to the cloud even with limited bandwidth.
Where to Store Client Server Backups: Local, Cloud, or Hybrid
The location where the backups are stored depends on the budget, compliance requirements, the client's recovery time objective (RTO), existing hardware, and who manages it.
| Storage Location | Fits When | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|
| Local (NAS, disk, appliance) | Fast restores matter most and the client already has storage hardware | A fire, flood, or ransomware attack on the site can take out the backups along with the server |
| Cloud only | Compliance requires an offsite copy and nobody on site can manage hardware | Restore speed depends on bandwidth, a 2 TB restore over 100 Mbps takes 45 to 55 hours |
| Hybrid (local + cloud) | The client needs fast local restores and protection against losing the site | Two destinations to size and pay for |
For most client servers, the default should be a hybrid approach. The local copy handles routine restores, while the cloud copy covers situations in which the building itself is the problem. Compliance frameworks that require an offsite, verifiable copy eliminate local-only storage. With NovaBACKUP hybrid backup, one job writes to local storage first, followed by the cloud. Each destination keeps its own retention settings, and restores pull from the fastest available copy.
Ransomware operators target backup storage and credentials early in an attack. Protect the offsite copy with storage-level immutability, such as S3 Object Lock. Use backup software that verifies backup files and replaces missing or altered data. Our guide to immutable backups for SMBs covers when each layer is needed. Our guide to cloud storage for server backup covers egress costs and other storage criteria.
How Long a Server Restore Takes from the Cloud
The storage decision is tested during a restore. These estimates use typical throughput rates for common server sizes.
| Server Backup Size | Connection Speed | Estimated Cloud Restore Time |
|---|---|---|
| 500 GB | 100 Mbps | 12 to 15 hours |
| 2 TB | 100 Mbps | 45 to 55 hours |
| 2 TB | 1 Gbps | 4.5 to 5.5 hours |
The estimates assume a rate of roughly 40 GB per hour over a 100 Mbps network and 400 GB per hour over a 1 Gbps network, after accounting for protocol overhead. Actual restore time varies based on network conditions and backup software.
Working the math backward from the client's RTO, an eight-hour business day restores about 320 GB over a 100 Mbps line at 40 GB per hour. If the server contains more than that amount of data and the client expects to have it back by the end of the day, the data must be restored from a local copy or a VHDx system backup booted as a VM.
Quick tip: Record the actual restore time for each client server during your next test restore, and store this information with the client's documentation. A timeline from an actual test provides a tangible RTO for the service agreement and indicates when a server has outgrown its current setup.
What to Ask a Backup Vendor Before You Buy
The feature lists of most backup software products look similar across vendors. But these questions highlight the differences that affect your cost per client and your restore options. For platform-level criteria, such as multi-tenant management, verification, and support, see our guide on what to look for in a managed backup platform.
| Ask the Vendor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| How do you measure billable storage? By data selected for backup, data transferred, or data stored after compression? | The same client server can produce different bills depending on the basis. It decides your cost per client and whether a flat client price holds its margin. |
| Are there fees for restores, egress, or data transfer? | A large restore during an incident would increase your fees tremendously if you're charged a per-GB download charge. |
| Can one job back up to local and cloud storage, with separate retention per destination? | The number of jobs per client server is management time you pay for every month. |
| Which restore paths do you support for a full server? | Bare-metal restore to dissimilar hardware and VHDx boot as a Hyper-V VM decide how fast a failed server comes back. |
Compression ratios depend on the type of data. For example, a file server full of documents and spreadsheets might shrink from 1 TB to about 350 GB. But a server holding JPGs or compressed database exports might not shrink at all. Either way, billing is based on the full 1 TB. Billing on stored data tracks what is stored. Billing based on transferred data depends on how much changes each day. Model your largest client under each basis before comparing per-GB prices.
Quick tip: Ask every vendor on your shortlist to provide a written explanation of their storage billing basis, including how they count compression, retention, and deleted data. A vague answer is also telling.
Managing server backups for multiple clients? See how NovaBACKUP handles hybrid jobs, backup verification, and per-client usage reporting from one console.
Talk to an MSP backup specialist →Your Decision Path for Each Client Server
Work through these steps in order for every new client server.
- Protect: Create file or application backups for daily restores, as well as a separate system backup for full recovery.
- Capture: Use incremental backups to keep backup windows and storage small.
- Store: Keep a local copy for speed and a cloud copy in case of site loss. Make the offsite copy immutable.
- Restore: Check the cloud restore math against the client's RTO before anything fails.
- Buy: Compare vendors based on billing, fees, job structure, and full-server restore paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Should files and system backups run in the same job?
You can combine them, and NovaBACKUP supports a single job for both files and the system state. But for most client servers, separate jobs are easier to manage. File backups run more often and store multiple versions, while system backups run less often to avoid cluttering your storage. Separate jobs allow you to customize each schedule and immediately identify which type of recovery a failed job affects.
FAQ
How do backup vendors charge for storage?
Vendors bill in different ways. For example, they may bill based on the amount of data selected for backup, the amount transferred, or the amount stored after compression. Some vendors sell fixed storage quotas per device. Ask each vendor which basis they use, how they count retention and compression, and then model a real client's data under each option before comparing prices.
FAQ
How long does it take to restore a 2 TB server from cloud backup?
For a 100 Mbps connection, expect a recovery time of about 45 to 55 hours with typical throughput. The same restore takes about 4.5 to 5.5 hours over 1 Gbps. To get the server back within a business day, keep a local copy or VM-bootable system backup on site.
Conclusion
Client servers differ in terms of what they run, how much data they hold, and how quickly they can recover. Determine what to protect, how changes are captured, where the copies are stored, and what the restoration process indicates about the client's RTO. Then, select software that meets these requirements.
How Can NovaBACKUP Help?
With NovaBACKUP, you can back up files, applications, and full systems for every client server from one console to local and cloud storage in a single hybrid job. Built-in features include backup verification and per-client usage reporting.
Sources
Restore-time estimates and incremental forever storage comparison: NovaBACKUP. No third-party statistics are used in this post.
Worth Reading
Restore Revamp + Backup Security Checks | Data Protection Digest | October 2026
NovaBACKUP October 2026 Release: We Are Revamping How Restore Is Done
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