what internet backup system are you using

I have amassed thousands of photos including lots of my old "FILM" photos. I have them on two external hard drives, plus a few DVDs. However, I think that I should consider some sort of 'on-line' system for a belt and braces approach. I would be gutted if I were to lose my photos, which eventually is what the following generations will have to remind them what the 'old days' were like! Thanks for looking Dabber

I have amassed thousands of photos including lots of my old "FILM" photos.
I have them on two external hard drives, plus a few DVDs.

However, I think that I should consider some sort of 'on-line' system for a belt and braces approach.

I would be gutted if I were to lose my photos, which eventually is what the following generations will have to remind them what the 'old days' were like!

Thanks for looking

Dabber

I'm currently using Backblaze - I'm happy with it. I've also heard good things about Crashplan.

I'm currently using Backblaze - I'm happy with it.
I've also heard good things about Crashplan.

I wouldn't worry about online backup. Get yourself another external hard drive, backup everything to that and then keep the drive in your office (or somewhere else secure and not at your home). There are several downsides to online backup, not least the amount of time it takes to get files up and get them back if you ever need them. Ian

I wouldn't worry about online backup. Get yourself another external hard drive, backup everything to that and then keep the drive in your office (or somewhere else secure and not at your home).

There are several downsides to online backup, not least the amount of time it takes to get files up and get them back if you ever need them.

Ian

External hard drive, Pref of the SSD variety, Locked away in a fireproof safe.....Job Done......:D What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!! They may be prone to failures like anyone else, They may be hit by just about any disaster you can think of....:( Now ! Short of burglars stealing a fireproof safe......LOL, Unless set in a floor of 6 foot thick reinforced concrete, I prefer to know where by back ups are. ;)

External hard drive, Pref of the SSD variety, Locked away in a fireproof safe.....Job Done......

What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!!

They may be prone to failures like anyone else, They may be hit by just about any disaster you can think of....

Now ! Short of burglars stealing a fireproof safe......LOL, Unless set in a floor of 6 foot thick reinforced concrete, I prefer to know where by back ups are.

[quote]What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!![/quote] Personally its safer because I don't have to remember to do the backup and move the disks about. Any disaster is bound to occur just before I was going to do a backup.

Quote:What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!!

Personally its safer because I don't have to remember to do the backup and move the disks about. Any disaster is bound to occur just before I was going to do a backup.

I would say that any backup service that is provided is normally pretty good. It's because they will do more than one backup in more than one location. So you should something happen to one location they will always be able to get your information back. The USB solution is still quite a good one and is simple to manage. It's also just handy and quick as well and you can backup something somewhere else and bring it all back. It's also a on off cost. Cause if you have a fire at home most probably stuffed! With the USB solution you also need some software - (which I bet you can get for free) to do you backups. With the online backup a wager google will prob do a free one sooner or later - seems like they are doing it all now!

I would say that any backup service that is provided is normally pretty good.
It's because they will do more than one backup in more than one location.
So you should something happen to one location they will always be able to get your information back.

The USB solution is still quite a good one and is simple to manage.
It's also just handy and quick as well and you can backup something somewhere else and bring it all back.
It's also a on off cost.
Cause if you have a fire at home most probably stuffed!
With the USB solution you also need some software - (which I bet you can get for free) to do you backups.

With the online backup a wager google will prob do a free one sooner or later - seems like they are doing it all now!

[quote]External hard drive, Pref of the SSD variety, Locked away in a fireproof safe.....Job Done......:D What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!! They may be prone to failures like anyone else, They may be hit by just about any disaster you can think of....:( Now ! Short of burglars stealing a fireproof safe......LOL, Unless set in a floor of 6 foot thick reinforced concrete, I prefer to know where by back ups are. ;)[/quote] Not exactly representative, but the one SSD I have bought recently and tried to upgrade my laptop to has shown an amazing ability to get FUBAR and recovery tools bring back a fraction of what I would have expected from a normal HD recovery. One drive and one brand only tried, so as I say not representative, but not sure I would put my eggs in that particular basket until I have had a more reassuring experience. As for ISPs being safer or not, they generally have a much better concept of contingency, business continuity or disaster recover than your average joe (unless you go super cheap, in which case the old adage still applies). After all a cloud storage company that looses files when excrement hits the air circulation device is not going to present an appealing subscription choice. As for fire safes, check the specs very carefully. Most consumer (i.e. affordable) options have a limited endurance to fire (30 minutes is common) and are not waterproof. A backup is insurance for if something goes wrong, if your backup fails you have to consider the chances of you primary store failing at the same time (and vice versa). If you think it is too high risk, use more lines of back up - off disk/off site/on-line/x2.

Quote:External hard drive, Pref of the SSD variety, Locked away in a fireproof safe.....Job Done......

What makes you think an on-line/Internet based service is any safer.....!!!

They may be prone to failures like anyone else, They may be hit by just about any disaster you can think of....

Now ! Short of burglars stealing a fireproof safe......LOL, Unless set in a floor of 6 foot thick reinforced concrete, I prefer to know where by back ups are.




Not exactly representative, but the one SSD I have bought recently and tried to upgrade my laptop to has shown an amazing ability to get FUBAR and recovery tools bring back a fraction of what I would have expected from a normal HD recovery.

One drive and one brand only tried, so as I say not representative, but not sure I would put my eggs in that particular basket until I have had a more reassuring experience.

As for ISPs being safer or not, they generally have a much better concept of contingency, business continuity or disaster recover than your average joe (unless you go super cheap, in which case the old adage still applies). After all a cloud storage company that looses files when excrement hits the air circulation device is not going to present an appealing subscription choice.

As for fire safes, check the specs very carefully. Most consumer (i.e. affordable) options have a limited endurance to fire (30 minutes is common) and are not waterproof.

A backup is insurance for if something goes wrong, if your backup fails you have to consider the chances of you primary store failing at the same time (and vice versa). If you think it is too high risk, use more lines of back up - off disk/off site/on-line/x2.

Personally, I think that anyone who places trust any any of those online "back-up" systems is nuts. Whatever makes you think that they will still be around in 5 years, never mind 50 years? As a belt and braces third- or fourth-tier additional backup they might be fine as a short-tern expediency but I would much rather take full responsibility for my own photo archives - affording them whatever degree of security I think they are worth (or not).

Personally, I think that anyone who places trust any any of those online "back-up" systems is nuts. Whatever makes you think that they will still be around in 5 years, never mind 50 years?

As a belt and braces third- or fourth-tier additional backup they might be fine as a short-tern expediency but I would much rather take full responsibility for my own photo archives - affording them whatever degree of security I think they are worth (or not).

[quote]never mind 50 years?[/quote] I will no longer be alive in 50 years time, so not really an issue ! !

Quote:never mind 50 years?

I will no longer be alive in 50 years time, so not really an issue ! !

When it comes to back-up you should have at least on-site and off-site. If you only have your stuff backed up to another form of media that you keep at the same site as the main copy then this isn't good enough. As some have said it is worth keeping an external hard drive at another site that you bring back to the main site every month to do a fresh back-up. Online back-up is usefull as you can be constantly backing up and are in less danger of loosing anything if good forbid your main site goes up in flames.

When it comes to back-up you should have at least on-site and off-site. If you only have your stuff backed up to another form of media that you keep at the same site as the main copy then this isn't good enough. As some have said it is worth keeping an external hard drive at another site that you bring back to the main site every month to do a fresh back-up. Online back-up is usefull as you can be constantly backing up and are in less danger of loosing anything if good forbid your main site goes up in flames.

Internet...??? No way. Too many things being taken for granted via that route. For me? Two (matched) hard drives with a brilliant piece of software 'mirroring' the primary drive to the backup drive. A regular physical copy of either drive onto a USB external which is 'grab-able' in the event of an emergency and the job is done. The internet is good. But not 'bullet-proof' ;) ([i]Hi Vince!! How're things?[/i] :D)

Internet...???

No way.

Too many things being taken for granted via that route.

For me? Two (matched) hard drives with a brilliant piece of software 'mirroring' the primary drive to the backup drive. A regular physical copy of either drive onto a USB external which is 'grab-able' in the event of an emergency and the job is done.

The internet is good.

But not 'bullet-proof'



(Hi Vince!! How're things? )

Mike if your house burnt down while you were out or your drives were wiped by a virus you'd maybe regret not having spent £30 or so on automatic cloud backup over the internet...

Mike if your house burnt down while you were out or your drives were wiped by a virus you'd maybe regret not having spent £30 or so on automatic cloud backup over the internet...

have a look at Carbonite...works for me :)

have a look at Carbonite...works for me

[quote]Personally, I think that anyone who places trust any any of those online "back-up" systems is nuts. Whatever makes you think that they will still be around in 5 years, never mind 50 years?[/quote] If they are not about then shift your stuff to another one. That's the advantage of having your stuff mirrored across multiple locations, media and drives - if any one fails it is merely an inconvenience. Extra protection for littler cost and almost no work it seems like a good thing to me.

Quote:Personally, I think that anyone who places trust any any of those online "back-up" systems is nuts. Whatever makes you think that they will still be around in 5 years, never mind 50 years?

If they are not about then shift your stuff to another one. That's the advantage of having your stuff mirrored across multiple locations, media and drives - if any one fails it is merely an inconvenience.
Extra protection for littler cost and almost no work it seems like a good thing to me.

We have discussed this type of thing many times. Ultimately you have to be prepared to re-archive everything at least once a decade - depending on whatever is the best solution around at the time.

We have discussed this type of thing many times. Ultimately you have to be prepared to re-archive everything at least once a decade - depending on whatever is the best solution around at the time.