A Virtual Backup, sometimes called a NULL backup, backs up all of an IQ database except the IQ Store table data. You must make a separate operating system-level copy of the corresponding IQ Store. To restore from a Virtual Backup, you must first restore the corresponding system-level copy of the IQ Store and then proceed with the IQ full restore of the Virtual Backup.
Virtual Backup backs up:
All IQ Catalog data
All IQ metadata
All metadata in the IQ Store not specific to individual tables. (Includes the freelist, backup and checkpoint information.)
Virtual Backup does not back up data or metadata from tables other than those mentioned above.
To make a Virtual Backup, specify either the VIRTUAL DECOUPLED or VIRTUAL ENCAPSULATED parameter in the BACKUP command when performing a full IQ Backup. The VIRTUAL parameters prevent IQ from copying table data and metadata in the IQ Store to the backup file.
