BEST Backup Methods

What are the best and most-trusted backup methods? I don't mean DVDs, I mean long-term, 1, 2, 5 year backups. Also, do you put this cost-per-client in your invoice?

Right now we're using External HDs, but we lost one today and we're wondering if we can get a better, faster, easier method.

http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/RAID

I know you mentioned not DVDs, but have you considered archival grade DVDs? They are around $.50-1.00 a pop and depend on the disc, they claim to have 100-300 year shelf life. I'd assume this is with proper storage. From what I've read, quality but affordable DVDs such as those from TY can last over 10 years.

DocFrankenstein wrote in post #2369126
http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/RAID

A Raid system is better than a single disk storage, but has it's limits. It could be destroyed by malicious programs for example.

IMO, from thinking simply about how much space I need in the next year or so to actually thinking about a backup strategy. RAID gives me some redundancy if a drive fails. The data is still lost if the machine is phsically stolen or damaged. The data could even be wiped from malicious software.

Backing up to another compututer in the same room/house still opens your data up to loss through fire or theft.

Off site backup? I'm on el-cheapo bandwidth limited broadband so the combination of cost and that fact that my 76Gbs of data (increasing around 10gb/month) makes that unfeasable.

Backup to disk based media? Cheap. 4.7gb per disk makes it cumbersome but doable. I could send my DVD's to my folks as an off site backup. This, however, raises the question of reliabilty.

So far I've got a Raid system installed on my main PC. Data is backed up to a 2nd "spare" PC (single drive) that's only turned on when I need to back up. I've started to burn my images to DVD's and will send them off to my Mom's then it's all done. I also upload my processed keepers and good enough to keep Jpegs to my Smugmug account.

I still don't feel secure. :P

im sorry to say this

but man you sound a tad paranoid

I know a lot of people that back up data onto a HDD, RAID system, on a server, then DVDs. could never be too careful.

but how many of these threads are going to need?

I have a TWO server system with a 3Ware Raid card with (4) 320gig drives in RAID 5 configuration... I feel pretty comfortable with this setup.

I do however once in a while copy to an external and keep it at work incase something goes totally bad like a fire ot theft.

Having a good raid setup is not only fast, its great peice of mind.

zacwolf wrote in post #2375073
im sorry to say this

but man you sound a tad paranoid

Ditto. Also sorry to express this:
'Ephemeral' way is too much of precautius, and border-line paranoia.

The job is backing up for 3 to 4 generations to come (around 60 years).
After that, NO BODY (even from your closest family) will even bother to care to look at them PICs !

So - I'd say backing up to affordable high-quality 'Taiyo Yuden' DVDs + having an HDD Raid [2, 3, or 5] backup system will do the job.

zacwolf wrote in post #2375073
im sorry to say this

but man you sound a tad paranoid

You don't have to apologise. I just hope that you will never be in a situation that you lose some important data.

Ephemeral wrote in post #2375918
You don't have to apologise. I just hope that you will never be in a situation that you lose some important data.

and have a crying client b/c they want to suprise their wife with a wedding photograph you took 10 years ago.

I use a second hard drive, and use the microsoft synctoy to copy files over - its very quick.

I tried to make a print from an image I had saved on a CD when I got my first digital camera in 2002. The CD is dead.

Now I store my files on two stand alone 250 GB hard drives. One is the mirror of the other. Hopefully both won't fail at the same time.

When these are full I will get two more hard drives and store the two full ones as archives. I really appreciate not having to burn and store CDs or DVDs any more.

I also tried using DVDs for backup once... foolish. They lasted less than 2 years, apparently.

I guess the solution I'm going to go with is duplicate external HDs. That means I just bought 2 terabytes of HDs. Yippee.

What do you figure was the cause of DVD failure.... defective or cheap media, non-optimum storage? With decent care I would have expected longer than that. Very disturbing, since that's how I'm backing my now in addition to some modest HD storage.

jaypie77 wrote in post #2382652
I also tried using DVDs for backup once... foolish. They lasted less than 2 years, apparently.........

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a fairly good DVD/CD medium, has a life longevity of 20-30 years, average.

Read here:
http://www.audioholics​.com …ormats/CDDVDlon​gevity.php