Backups & restore points · Time Machine and backup strategy
What's the difference between Data Backup and Back Up to Another Drive?
Short answer: Back Up to Another Drive makes one verified clone of your fast drive's folder on a second drive. Data Backup keeps saving versions as things change, so you can restore many points in time.
Back Up to Another Drive (the Backup Drive option in the More menu's Drive section) makes a full, verified copy of your fast drive's Storage Studio folder onto a second drive and then stops — one point-in-time clone, while your current drive stays active. Data Backup keeps going: it saves a new version every time things change, so you can go back to many points in time.
Use the clone when you want a complete spare copy of the fast drive, for example before replacing it. Use Data Backup for everyday protection with history. More on drive tools in external drive questions.