The normal controller station save captures changes to the station’s object spaces (components, alarm, history) to flash memory.
A backup automatically performs a local station save first, and then, running as a standard station job, backs up all station data to the Supervisor station. This creates a .dist file, which can be later restored following a software upgrade or installation of a new controller.
Restoring a station from a backup .dist file returns the station to the state it was in when the backup job ran.