A system and method is provided for data classification to control file backup operations. An exemplary method includes sampling metadata of one or more files on a computer at a predetermined time interval, determining whether the metadata has changed over time after a predetermined amount of metadata is collected, deriving a model of the change of the metadata over time when the metadata has changed over time, wherein the model of change is a snapshot of dynamically sampled attributes of the one or more files and reflects a state of the computer, performing an analysis of the model of change by determining features of the one or more files comprising at least file usage dynamics of the computer and a user associated with the one or more files based on the model; and selecting a backup plan for the one or more files according to the file usage dynamics.