A system or method for granular application data lifecycle sourcing from a single backup is disclosed. In one embodiment of the method, a computer system periodically creates a primary backup copy of data stored on a storage system in order to create a plurality of primary backup copies. The computer system also periodically creates a secondary backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create a first plurality of secondary backup copies, wherein each of the secondary backup copies of the first plurality is created in part by copying data from a respective one of the primary backup copies. The periodicity of creating the primary backup copies, however, is distinct from the periodicity of creating the secondary backup copies of the first plurality. The computer system can also periodically create another secondary backup copy of data stored on the storage system in order to create a second plurality of secondary backup copies. Each of the secondary backup copies of the first plurality is created in part by copying data from a respective one of the primary backup copies. The periodicity of creating the primary backup copies is distinct from the periodicity of creating the secondary backup copies of the second plurality, and the periodicity of creating the secondary backup copies of the first plurality is distinct from the periodicity of creating the secondary backup copies of the second plurality.