According to an online etymology, dictionary backup (or to be more exact back up) means stand behind and support or just support. The noun meaning of the same word is reserve or standby. The meaning specifically related to the computing could be expressed as a copy or duplicate version of a file, program or entire computer system, retained for use in the event that the original is in some way rendered unusable.

To help you understand better the importance of having adequate backup strategies, a simple fact is that any server will fail at some point. Failure can be caused by numerous reasons but all causes can be divided in two major groups—hardware failures and software failures. Hardware can (and at some point will) fail due to reasons like design flaws, poor production quality commonly viewed in new types of devices with less than perfect quality assurance process, or simple wear out that happens usually after a component has reached the end of its projected useful...