This data backup and recovery system enables backup and recovery of data at low cost and in short periods of time. The system is comprised of a primary system that updates the source data and one or more secondary systems that back up the source data. The secondary systems may be installed in the vicinity of the primary system or at a remote location. The secondary systems have the same logical configuration as the primary system and perform backups by acquiring the most recent data in real time. The update histories maintained by the secondary systems may be used to restore the primary system to any given state at an earlier point in time. Using a secondary system as a referential tool enables load distribution; the backup processing of the secondary system may then be suspended to perform referential batch processing while it is detached from on-line processing.