The full backup makes a complete backup of every file on the system every time it is run. Since a single backup set is needed to perform a full restore, it is appropriate for off-site archiving. Source: KRUTZ, Ronald L. & VINES, Russel D., The CISSP Prep Guide: Mastering the Ten Domains of Computer Security, John Wiley & Sons, 2001, Chapter 3: Telecommunications and Network Security (page 69).