Which backup type allows for complete OS and service/application recovery as long as compatible hardware is available?

The choice of bare metal backup is correct because it involves creating a complete image of a server, including the operating system, applications, and all configurations. This type of backup allows for a full recovery of the system onto compatible hardware, facilitating quick restoration in the event of a hardware failure or system corruption. A bare metal restore is particularly advantageous as it can recover a system to the same or different hardware, as long as the necessary drivers are available for the installed OS.

Incremental backups only save changes made since the last backup, making them unsuitable for a complete recovery as they rely on a full backup to restore the entire system. Snapshots, while useful for capturing the current state of a system at a specific moment in time, do not provide the same level of comprehensive recovery as bare metal backups. Full backups do encapsulate all data and system states but lack the targeted restore capabilities that a bare metal approach offers, especially when dealing with hardware failures.