A first threshold corresponds to a data change at which a backup is triggered. A second threshold corresponds to a time interval at which the backup is triggered. A client is polled to obtain a first value indicating an amount of data changed since a last backup. A second value is tracked indicating an amount of time elapsed since the last backup. A determination is made as to whether to trigger the backup based on at least one of the first value exceeding the first threshold or the second value exceeding the second threshold. When the backup is not triggered because neither the first value exceeds the first threshold nor the second value exceeds the second threshold, the backup is triggered regardless based on a degree to which the first threshold has been reached, a degree to which the second threshold has been reached, and current usage of resources.