Just a terminology change. Full changed to Incremental, which it really was since all files in the backup set were never backed up in full as a group after the initial full backup.

"all files in the backup set were never backed up in full as a group after the initial full backup"

Okay, so on that page I linked to you have a graphic showing a (full) backup performed on Mondays with a three day retention. So are you telling me that the "full" or now the weekly incremental is not ALL the files in the directory and resets the archive bit?

The only files that were or are backed up after the initial full are the ones that changed. We now call this an incremental backup (don’t get me started on the terminology change because I’m with you that the change was confusing). The entire file is backed up if changed.

If you schedule block-level backups, only the files that changed are backed up, and only the parts of those files that changed are backed up - Allows you to speed up backups by not having to back up large files that only changed in a small part.

So you're telling tell me then, that I need to keep my first full backup forever, because it contains old files that never change?

What if i set my retention policy to 15 days from backup date.

Again, by your description, incremental and block level are the same thing. Only backing up changed files. So I just keep backing up ad infinitum because there is no need for retention because clearly I need to keep backups going back months and years because a single file was changed at some point.

Why even have the distinction between incremental and block level since they're both just doing the same thing?

No, you don’t as the initial full is not a single set, but instead each file backed up in its entirety and each file can be removed for retention needs independently of any other. Incremental and block level are not the same as I’ve described previously in this post.

You really need to figure out the terminology then because you say "only files that were or are backed up after the initial full are the ones that changed. We now call this an incremental backup"

But yet a block level is "only the files that changed are backed up"'

What's even more hilarious is that I have a backup set for a recurring "predefined" template of weekly incremental and daily block. Yet the weekly incremental does not get all the files in the directory. They are ALL JUST INCREMENTALS.

I believe your competitor calls it what it is....forever incremental...https://www.nakivo.com/blog/backup-types-explained-full-incremental-differential-synthetic-and-forever-incremental/

That's what it is. I agree the terms can be confusing. Some of that has to do with the flexibility in scheduling what we call incremental and block-level backups. We allow you to schedule them, so we have to give them names :-(

Will this be continued onto version 7?

Why even have block and incremental? WHy not just run incremental for all backups?

Incremental backs up the entire file each time it is changed. Block level only backs up the changes within the file to save storage and reduce backup time.

Let me also add that you do not have to use Block-Level Backups. Especially if you either do not have a need or do not want the added complexity in scheduling and retention. They are optional, and if you ignore that scheduling option, then you can think of backups as incremental forever. Every time a file changes it will be backed up in full.