I cannot find the right information to decide what backup strategy for my file server is the better one: VM level backup or File Backup?
I am running a small home set-up. The Windows file server is virtualized under Hyper-V. The file storage is a vhdx file locally stored on Hyper-V host. So technically I am able to do both:
VM back up of file server together with storage drive (VM backup of file server system I am doing anyway)
file level backup of storage drive (my current set-up)
The storage content mainly are static files. Not much changes. Usually new added content.
Information about the difference between both backup modes I can find. But what I cannot find are sufficient pros and cons to help to decide for the better way.
That's the only point? I gues there mus be more.
I was looking more for pros and cons of each of the backup methods rather than what technically is possible.
The main risk I want to cover by backup is the loss of the complete storage e. g. by HDD failure or other system disaster. So complete volume recovery is sufficient.
File level restore is a nice add-on I take. But what will be the advantage or disadvantage doing file backup instead of volume backup? Here I did not found answers.
For your use case, volume-level backup is sufficient and preferred. You don't seem to have any requirements that would make me recommend you using file-level backup instead.