In the context of Time Machine, what does local storage typically include?

Local storage in the context of Time Machine refers to volumes that are directly accessible and formatted to be compatible with Time Machine's backup processes. Specifically, HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus) is the primary file system used by macOS for local storage. When a volume is formatted with HFS+, it supports the necessary features that allow Time Machine to efficiently create incremental backups, including space management and snapshot capabilities.

This means that when a Mac is backed up using Time Machine, it focuses on these locally connected volumes, which can be internal drives or external drives formatted appropriately. This compatibility is crucial because if a volume isn't formatted in HFS+, Time Machine will not be able to perform backups on that volume.

In contrast, external hard drives not formatted with HFS+, files stored solely in cloud storage, and virtual machines do not meet the specific criteria for local storage needed for Time Machine's functionality to create effective backups. Hence, the correct understanding of local storage revolves around these HFS+ formatted volumes connected to the Mac.