# Backup Strategies

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/backup-strategies/61940>\
**Category:** Tips\
**Created:** [February 14, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/backup-strategies/61940 "2021-02-14T12:57:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 87

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**Author:** ![chrk](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@chrk](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrk)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2022, 7:55pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/backup-strategies/61940/87 "2022-06-25T19:55:34Z")

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> [@JCHHenderson](#):
>
> I meant whether it is OK to use Arq or Time Machine to backup the (possibly open) .dtbase2 files (without requiring the intermediate step of using the script to create a zipped archive for Arq/Timemachine to then backup offsite (or wherever).

Given that Arq, Time Machine, and Carbon Copy Cloner\* use snapshot based backups, there is no need to close any databases.  
I have DEVONthink open 24 hours and use all 3 backup apps mentioned. Since I use Arq with Google Cloud & Storj, that’s 4 backups per hour.  
Never once has this been an issue. You can even modify content in an open database while backups are running. Snapshot based backups are frozen in time, it doesn’t matter if data changes while backing up.

(\*when used with APFS volumes)

Also, see [this comment](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/chronosync-backup-best-practices/46557/34) for documentation screenshots from Arq and CCC that confirm this.

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