How often do you backup?

[DaCubanSkillz]

I tried searching but nothing came up.

How often do you all backup your files (pictures, music, movies, etc)? Do you save backups offsite as well?

I used to backup to a WD external harddrive for my PC all the time. Then I got a MBP and wanted to backup the files I had on my portable Lacie harddrive and work I've done on the MBP. Just this weekend I got a 1TB Apple Time Capsule. So far I have my files from the PC saved on it and also from the portable harddrive (This works great when trying to access files since its networked).

I also purchased a seperate Lacie harddrive and backed up everything from the Time Capsule and I plan to keep that harddrive here at work, locked in my desk. That way I always have another copy. If you store it offsite, do you have a specific place you use? Have any recommendations on where it can be stored (besides the obvious of safe deposit box, storage, etc).

[prplegophr]

I can tell you a little about my storage and workflow process and maybe that will help.

I run with a MPB as well when I'm on location and a PC desktop at home. Once I dump my cards and do an initial sort of the images, everything gets immediately moved to a RAID Network Server (so it's instantly backed up on two identical hard drives). This Server is backed up every night to an external USB hard drive.

Once a week, the Server backs up to a second external USB hard drive. I take this hard drive, take it into work (which is my off site storage), and swap it out with the third external USB hard drive I keep in my locker. I then take this third hard drive back home and plug it in to the server where it will back up the server. Every week, I repeat this process.

In essence, at any given moment, I have one image file saved across two identical hard drives in a RAID array on my server which is also backed up on an external USB drive. The image is also saved on a second external drive on site and as well as a third external drive off site.

You might also take a look at online storage services, including the new services that Amazon.com is starting to offer. I just can't wrap my head around uploading 500 GB worth of files through an internet connection so I haven't done that route yet.

Hope this helps.

[DDA]

Every hour (Time Machine) ;-)

[neilwood32]

Not as often as i should!

Probably about once a fortnight.

[elysium]

I SHOULD backup everytime I have a photoshoot just in case but I stopped doing that. Clogged up my HDD yesterday and now set it autobackup now. :)

[All-Decked-Out]

As soon as I download from my camera everything goes on 3 seperate hard drives. I have learned my lesson the hard way. Almost cost me my marriage.

[Michael_Lambert]

I backup every sunday evening, i figured most of my shooting is done on the weekends so its the best time to do so.

I back up everything from my storage drive ( 500gig WD ) to a second 500 gig WD which i keep at my office, i then back up everything off that onto my directory on our server.

[-spam-]

Not often enough.


Although I am currently looking at a pile of 6 hard drives and 2 cd wallets full of DVDs on the desk in front of me with my photos and various random copies on some of them. Then there is another 40gb worth on my laptop hard drive which is sitting in my dead 2 month old laptop.

Now, if only i had some 500gb drives and a blu-ray burner...

[AndPancho]

Since last Sunday when I learnt that my backup regime was inadequate, I now do it daily. Last Sunday I had my main hard drive go bang (3rd hard drive failure in three years), so now there's backups of each drive done at least once per day.

[hommedars]

All images are stored on internal HD and backed up to hot-swappable external RAID.

About once per week, or after any project shoot, the RAID drives are swapped to the safe deposit box at the bank.

This system provides 3 copies of each file (and each developed RAW) stored in at least 2 locations.

[tangcla]

back up? what's that? :?

Never heard of it.

[willstar]

back up? what's that? :?

Never heard of it.

You are kidding, right? :p

Of all ppl, surely you'd have a foolproof system in place

[-spam-]

back up? what's that? :?

Never heard of it.

Its when you have to take a few steps back to get everything in the shot. I thought you would have known that, being a prime man and all :p

[Wyn]

back up? what's that? :?

Never heard of it.

when you put the reverse gear on

[thomascanty]

I backup my photos as soon as they come off the cards. Like someone else mentioned, they're copied to three hard drives (one internal and two external) before I even view them.

When it comes to my non-photo files, I'm not quite as strict. Those get backed up to a single external drive whenever I happen to think of it. That's usually once every couple months.

[tangcla]

You are kidding, right? :p

Of all ppl, surely you'd have a foolproof system in place
Yeah I am kidding.

However that doesn't mean I do backups though. I recently got a new hard drive though, so I guess I should be good for a year or two... :p

[rklepper]

I do a full backup once a week and it gets traded for the one from the week before and goes to work. I also do an incremental every night. If I have been out shooting, or anything else that adds data for that matter, I immediately do an incremental backup.

[steved110]

I have Norton 360 and Acronis, and back up once a week with Norton, and once in a while with Acronis. the Norton one is incremental, but when I run an Acronis back up, I delete the old file and do a new one from scratch. I think that is more than enough.

My pictures are all also backed up on DVD, and I burn another disc as soon as it's worth while ( ie I can fill a DVD)

I am starting to lean towards the idea of keeping pics permanently on CF cards, as they are getting so inexpensive. a showbox holds an awful lot more CF cards than DVDs. You'd just need a filing system of some sort, but that has always applied to photography even in the bad old days of film and slides etc.