What describes a full backup in data management?

A full backup in data management is characterized by being a complete copy of all data contained within a specified system, which could include one or more files or filegroups. This means that every piece of data is duplicated, ensuring that in the event of data loss, the entire data set can be fully restored to its last backed-up state.

The comprehensive nature of a full backup makes it a fundamental part of a robust data protection strategy. It simplifies the recovery process, as there's no need to combine multiple backup types to restore everything; the full backup contains everything needed for a complete restoration.

The other options describe different types of backups. A partial backup would only copy selected files, which means some data might be at risk if those files were lost. An incremental backup only saves data that has changed since the last backup was taken, which would require previous backups for a complete restoration. A physical format backup limits accessibility and usability, as it would not be as versatile as a digital backup capable of being stored and accessed in various ways.