simple backup strategies

[EricM]

<blockquote>

<p>The best solution is a series of hard drives. The main rule is that, at minimum, one can never buy one hard drive, you must buy two, one to use and one for a backup. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>Even if you only rely on hard drives, you should have more than one back up<br>

</p>

<blockquote>

<p>went to a local big box store to look at blue ray burners, and they did not even carry them, they didn't have the discs either</p>

</blockquote>

<p>newegg.com, Virginia<br>

</p>

[lenny_eiger]

<p>Alan, the answer is yes. CD's and DVD's are not to be considered reliable. I use MAM, which I think are one of the best, but even then, I only use them for transferring data. Hard drives, and then backups, using hard drives. thankfully, they have gotten very inexpensive.</p>

[EricM]

<blockquote>

<p>Alan, the answer is yes.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

That's false. Nothing is reliable</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>I've used Second Copy to continually backup my data files to a DVD-RW disk. (4gb). I leave the DVD in my DVD drive and Second Copy works in the background.</p>

<p>Are there Blu-ray re-writables available for backing up larger files including my photos and LR catalog?</p>

[AlanKlein]

<p>Lenny Which program do you use when you back up to drives?</p>

[lenny_eiger]

<p>Alan, I've been using Data Backup Pro, by ProSoftEngineering. I'm on a Mac, so you would have to find something similar on the PC... there are plenty. For most Mac users I recommend Time Machine. It's very simple and works very well. I've used a lot of different things in the past... and they all work. The important thing is to have good hard drives in good enclosures, way more thanks than needed. It's a definite benefit to have offsite backup as well.. </p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Flash memory, whether Flash cards, or SSD drives, are not long-term-stable storage. The underlying NAND flash is not a permanent storage medium, relies on levels of error-correcting code that makes CD and DVD media look fundamentally reliable. The bits of data are all just charge in tiny capacitors, and it leaks away.<br>

Leave a SD flash card on a shelf for 10 years, and it will not be readable.<br>

Same would apply to an SSD disk. Great for running programs on, but don't consider it long-term storage.<br>

Magnetic media don't have as severe a decay problem, and don't depend on heavy error-correction. But, they are happiest if they are powered on. <br>

My strategy:</p>

<ol>

<li>Mac running Time Machine to a 3TB Time Capsule.</li>

<li>Periodic complete disk backup to Firewire 800 rotating disk using Super Duper.</li>

<li>Store Firewire 800 disk at work, not home.</li>

</ol>

<p>This gets me three levels.<br>

The disks are generic 1TB Seagate SFF SATA drives, which come with USB 3.0 interfaces, but I have the Seagate Firewire 800 adapter that I connect for the backup, because my Mac Mini only has (slow) USB 2.0.<br>

I will punt the Time Capsule as soon as AppleCare expires, as it's a terribly unreliable hardware device. (Poor cooling destroys the power supply, leading to backup filesystem rot. I've had it replaced under AppleCare once so far.) I'll probably replace it with a 4TB RAID 1 system, connected via Firewire 800 or Thunderbolt.</p>

[EricM]

<p>A $70 subscription to Microsoft Office 365 gives you unlimited cloud storage. It's the best cloud storage deal at the moment and wont be needing Crashplan anylonger</p>

[mark_tregre]

<p>From my opinion you can save your data in online Backup Solution. I'm familiar with one of the best backup tool i.e <a href="http://www.ahsay.com/jsp/en/home/index.jsp?pageContentKey=ahsay_products_overview">Ahsay Software</a>. You can try this software for backup. I hope this will work for you.<br /><br /></p>