# Understanding Backup Behavior

> How ThatApp handles initial sync, live sync, deletion tracking, file attachments, and the difference between a backup and a data lake.
> Help → Sync → Understanding Backup Behavior

URL: https://thatapp.io/help/sync/sync-backup-overview
Category: Sync — Your Data Lake

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ThatApp is not a traditional backup tool. Understanding what makes it different will help you use it correctly.

**Traditional backup vs. a data lake**

A traditional backup takes a snapshot of your data on a schedule — hourly, daily, weekly. If something is deleted between snapshots, it is gone until the next snapshot catches it. Recovery means restoring an entire snapshot, not a single record.

ThatApp's lake is continuously updated. Every change is recorded as it happens. Deletions are preserved — a deleted record is not erased from the lake, it is marked as deleted with a timestamp. Recovery is surgical — you can restore a single record, a single field, or the state of a record at any historical moment.

**The initial sync**

When you first connect a platform, ThatApp runs a full historical read. This reads every record that exists today. Depending on your data volume, this takes between a few minutes and a few hours.

After the initial sync completes, live sync takes over and all future changes are captured in near-real-time.

**Deletion tracking**

When a record is deleted from a connected platform, ThatApp notes the deletion with a timestamp and the user who deleted it (where available). The record's data is retained in full.

Deleted records do not count against your record billing.

**File attachments**

Files attached to records are downloaded and stored in FileHaven — ThatApp's file storage layer — at the time of attachment. This means that even if a file is deleted from the source platform, ThatApp still has it.

File storage is included in your record billing — attached files count as records.

**Platform differences**

Some platforms provide richer data than others. Platforms with full webhook support (Podio, Salesforce, HubSpot) get near-real-time sync. Platforms without webhooks get polled every few minutes. A small number of platforms have API limitations that affect historical sync completeness — AVA will tell you about any limitations when you connect.

**Related:** How Your Data Lake Works · FileHaven — Your File Storage Layer