Large data backups - how do you backup?

[ctfjr]

Two of my sons and I have been backing up our important data to each other's systems. One of them lives in CT, the other in MD. Until recently I have been limiting my backups to what I would call 'critically important' stuff. After a conversation with one of the boys we decided to back up all my data including 10's of thousands of high res images and a fair amount of video clips.
We all have Synology network attached storage units with virtually unlimited storage (>100TB) and the Synology backup app makes setup easy enough even for me to do.
So after running 2 full weeks I just checked it:

Looks like when its done it's going to be just over 10TB. After that, at 1 am daily, it will backup only what has changed (and keep the original).

One less thing to worry about.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

While it does give you a fairly good backup, you'll find out that it will get slower and slow as the load goes up.
I've had 2 of them tank and lost everything on them, luckily, I had another alternate backup.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

While it does give you a fairly good backup, you'll find out that it will get slower and slow as the load goes up.
I've had 2 of them tank and lost everything on them, luckily, I had another alternate backup.

I keep an onsite remote hard drive for the important files.

Saving sensitive files through the web may be safe. But I'm not convinced. Security going through multiple servers would be my concern.

 

[mikester]

Get an external USB HD that uses a real hard disc you can hear spin up and spin down. Prices are cheap now so buy a new one every year as a BU. Backup important data on that NAS.

Don't get SSD drives for BU as they are unreliable for long term data storage and will fail and lose data. Same with memory sticks.

CDROM and DVDROM were supposed to be good for 50 years but I'm finding discs burned 15-20 years ago are FUBAR and unreadable.

 

[GeoHorn]

Over the last two decades I have lost three computers to various catastrophes and tried to recover the HD discs which had vital data I absolutely could not allow to be lost. (none of it has been recovered)

I haven’t missed it a bit.

 

[The Evil Twin]

I use a NAS hard drive as well as Proton.
Proton is fully encrypted, end to end, storage. Data is not even decrypted in their servers. They can't (and neither can any server along the way) because they do not have the key. Only you do. It's actually so secure that they implore you to save a recovery file in a separate place (or two) so that your data can be recovered should you forget your password. There is no password recovery otherwise.

 

[Kennyd4110]

We use Carbonite.
I do not trust myself to do regular backups, and I like the fact that it's offsite and I can access it from anywhere is needed.

 

[ctfjr]

While it does give you a fairly good backup, you'll find out that it will get slower and slow as the load goes up.
I've had 2 of them tank and lost everything on them, luckily, I had another alternate backup.

I don't know what you were using for hardware / software but I think I've taken a pretty secure method to retain my data even if (when) there are drive failures:

The RAID system I am using can recover from 2 drives failing simultaneously. It is true that the rebuild can take quite a while as the data stored grows. Small price to pay.
The speed of saving large amounts of data is only limited by my lan speed, or in the case of remote saving, the speed my internet carrier provides.
The backups going forward will just be incremental, microscopic in size compared to this 1st save,

 

[ctfjr]

I keep an onsite remote hard drive for the important files.

Saving sensitive files through the web may be safe. But I'm not convinced. Security going through multiple servers would be my concern.

The data transfer between my sons' houses and ours is encrypted.
Like you, I also use 'bookshelf' usb hard drives and drives in other computers on the lan to keep local backups.

At the end of the day though local backup only is no backup.

 

[Lil Foot]

I use a dedicated 1TB desktop HD as backup. Don't trust the clod, I know of two people who have had their identities stolen, eventually tracked to hacking of the clod.

 

[Biker1mike]

During my career I had data on series 1 tapes, floppies and hard drives. When the poop hits the fan you had better have hard copy stored somewhere.
Yeah, for personal stuff anything will do. Just, never ever depend on electronic media for any legal issues.

 

[Elliott in GA]

X2 Carbonite - it is automatic and unlimited. I have restored all files from Carbonite, after a catastrophic failure. Also, I can access all of my files from anywhere with any suitable device.

If you have a low bandwidth connection, they will even send you a copy of your files (for a fee).

 

[mikester]

We use Carbonite.
I do not trust myself to do regular backups, and I like the fact that it's offsite and I can access it from anywhere is needed.

I trust my backups much more than storing my critical info info on someone elses computer using an online provider that may or may not be there in the future when they decide it's no longer profitable to pretend to be in business using V.C. money.

 

[Kennyd4110]

Maybe I should start selling Tin Foil hats too?

 

[jimh406]

Keep in mind that RAID can fail when the definition goes bad for any reason. In the case of any proprietary system like Synology or similar, if you loose the definition, you lose the volume-data. Years ago, I happened to lose two RAID definitions simultaneously on backup systems. I had most of the files on other drives, but it was a pain to find them all. RAID sounds good until it fails.

Also, any automated system can fail or be problematic as well. Many of them don't know the difference between adding a file or removing one, so some process causes a mass deletion event, it will delete the copy from your backup as well.

I use a combination of automated and manual copies, but I find the best approach is to reduce the amount of files I keep hanging around and have too many copies. As far as photo/video storage, I have copies in a few different free clouds, and also home servers that are off most of the time. Whenever a computer is on, the components are wearing out.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I have never backed up anything but the toilet. We use Apple devices. Maybe we don't need to worry?

 

[Lil Foot]

I have never backed up anything but the toilet. We use Apple devices. Maybe we don't need to worry?

 

[mikester]

I have never backed up anything but the toilet. We use Apple devices. Maybe we don't need to worry?

As a homeowner-employee backing up your cat photos and internet surfing isn't important

If you run a business you have bigger fish to fry

 

[skeets]

My back up is a .45,, opps was

 

[D2Cat]

My back up is a .45,, opps was

Skeets, I saw your name as a responder to this thread and though, "Skeets is going to give come computer advise!" and I wanted to read what he had to say.

Hope you're doing OK and getting ready for winter!!