Posted: 8/30/2010 8:50:37 AM EDT
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whats the best long term way to back up data?
everything we do (~) has been digitized. don't want to leave it on one HDD, if that goes, you're hosed (hey that rymes) 
DVD's hold some sizeable amounts, but limited to 4gb, 8gb, if you do DL discs. BRD is what, 25gb (~) ? in order to do that, I gotta build a new computer to handle that. tape? ha! |
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I use a 1 TB mybook that stays disconnected except when backing up.
Just get a couple of them if you want redundancy. I used to use DVDs, but unless you use the archive quality, they will only last about 5 years. They have up to 128 GB flash memory chips now, but cost per GB is higher. Flash is still a good solution if you aren't overwriting a lot. |
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I tell people (and do myself) to:
1) Backup to a big external drive. Keep it at home, but not somewhere next to the computer. 2) Backup off site. I use Mozy (but there are a number of other services). A drive in a safe deposit box works too (but you have to be disciplined about it). The local backup should take care of most all of your needs––HD crashes, kids destroying stuff, etc. The off site backup is just in the case of a catastrophe (house burns down, etc.). Restoring everything from the off site backup would be a hassle, but it could be done. |
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Quoted: whats the best long term way to back up data? everything we do (~) has been digitized. don't want to leave it on one HDD, if that goes, you're hosed (hey that rymes) DVD's hold some sizeable amounts, but limited to 4gb, 8gb, if you do DL discs. BRD is what, 25gb (~) ? in order to do that, I gotta build a new computer to handle that. tape? ha! Is this for work or for at home? And don't knock tapes. You can get 200GB+ on one tape with compression. That's better then BRD. I'm sure some other tapes will hold more. Give us more specifics as to how much data and frequency of backups. |
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Quoted: I tell people (and do myself) to: 1) Backup to a big external drive. Keep it at home, but not somewhere next to the computer. 2) Backup off site. I use Mozy (but there are a number of other services). A drive in a safe deposit box works too (but you have to be disciplined about it). The local backup should take care of most all of your needs––HD crashes, kids destroying stuff, etc. The off site backup is just in the case of a catastrophe (house burns down, etc.). Restoring everything from the off site backup would be a hassle, but it could be done. Yup. This will get you over any hump smaller than a nuclear / asteroid strike. Even a couple of miles separation from the off-site and used will work. 1 terabyte drives and hot swap cradles to run them in are less than 150 now. (for the first drive, once you have the cradle it's less) The only limit is actually DOING the backups. If you don't do them now with basic materials, you won't with expensive (ish) materials. |
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I have one of these in the basement, expandable up to 10TB, acting as a main media server and backup server:
http://www.netgear.com/products/home/storage/work-and-play/RNDU6000.aspx I have all my files backed up to a 2nd PC and to a truecrypt encrypted portable drive as well, and the most important/irreplaceable are backed up online (Amazon S3). Is that a little excessive? maybe, but a few years back I didn't backup and a hard drive crash cost me most of our honeymoon photos (and came close to costing me a divorce  )
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Is that a little excessive? maybe, but a few years back I didn't backup and a hard drive crash cost me most of our honeymoon photos (and came close to costing me a divorce )You almost got divorced over that....?  
OK. 
Well she thought I had lost all the wedding photos too..... luckily I had a backup of those. |