home backup

[U4EA]

More on backup further down.

This is a topic I've been meaning to raise for a while, starting a new thread so as to not derail the other one.

What do you guys do for data backup?

My goal would simply be disaster recovery for a lot of static data [approaching ~1 TB now]. I don't want to fiddle about with burning DVD/Bluray. I figure since you can get ~1.5 TB USB disks for peanuts nowadays, just grab one of those and schedule a weekly ntbackup or something. Replace immediately if one [PC harddisk] or the other [USB disk] fails. Pretty much counting on both not failing simultaneously.

Would probably do me fine and I've been meaning to head down to a local shop to grab a USB disk this week. Just thought I'd get some ideas from here to see if anyone's got a better backup procedure.

[^misantropia^]

How valuable / irreplaceable is your data? If all you want is a backup of your warez and porn (annoying to download again but not the end of the world) a backup HD is probably sufficient.

[AmIdYfReAk]

i agree with above,

i build a NAS/Server/etc box using:
Via Epia MS motherboard,
a 30gig 2.5" Laptop drive,
a cheap PCI Sata Raid card
1.5TB Seagate Sata HDD
Housed in a mid sized tower

plugged into a APC batt backup that gives it roughly 6 hours of uptime.

i have 3 more sata ports to shove hdd's in when i need more space, and its running a O/S so i can run software on it for the rest of the network, and do my large downloads for other computers while they are off.

if you don't want to go this kinda route, you can always look into the Standalone NAS solutions and buy a batt backup on the side just to be sure.

[Tormentius]

In addition to regular backups to a removable drive I back up images to private sets on Flickr and documents and other files to private folders on Skydrive. Between the two my data is fairly safe.

[U4EA]

How valuable / irreplaceable is your data? If all you want is a backup of your warez and porn (annoying to download again but not the end of the world) a backup HD is probably sufficient.

I'd say it's about 95% convenience factor and 5% irreplaceable data.

i agree with above,

i build a NAS/Server/etc box using:
Via Epia MS motherboard,
a 30gig 2.5" Laptop drive,
a cheap PCI Sata Raid card
1.5TB Seagate Sata HDD
Housed in a mid sized tower

plugged into a APC batt backup that gives it roughly 6 hours of uptime.

i have 3 more sata ports to shove hdd's in when i need more space, and its running a O/S so i can run software on it for the rest of the network, and do my large downloads for other computers while they are off.

if you don't want to go this kinda route, you can always look into the Standalone NAS solutions and buy a batt backup on the side just to be sure.

I've already got a "file server" with an OS setup in a closet. I keep all my data on it [nothing at all on my primary/gaming machine], it's in charge of all downloads, it's got media sharing enabled for TV lounge shenanigans and is left on 24x7. I was planning on simply attaching 1 [or even 2?!] USB disks to it and scheduling ntbackups.

PS: Why the batteries and stuff? Surely just surge protection should be sufficient? In case of power failure or whatever, you shouldn't really have any data loss right?

[obsidian]

What OS? Linux?

UPS so Amidy can browse through his porn collection even during a blackout.

[Foo]

My current backup strategy is:
- Dropbox for my document data (including copies of stuff I've released for various games, CV, websites and design files EPS/TGA etc. Comes to under a gig. I don't even have to think about this backup, as it's all automatic

- GMail keeps my email, so not issues with reformatting or broken drives there.

- Win 7 images itself once a week from my system drive to my large data drive.

- MP3s, videos etc on my data drive, I don't worry about. If it goes, it goes.

Key thing for me is treating different types of data in different ways, by placing them in separate places. If I had my docs all mingled up with my ISOs and downloaded software, I'd be up shit creek when it came to backing them up as I'd have to do all-or-nothing. That's the key to the whole thing, I reckon. Same thing applies at work (I manage the backup there, too).

Also, consider your restore scenarios. This will dictate how your backups need to work. Here's my list of restore scenarios:
- Primary hard drive fails. Restore backed up OS image from secondary drive and carry on.
- Secondary hard drive fails. Re-rip CDs/DVDs and start fresh. Not a big deal.
- PC asplodes/House burns down. Connect to dropbox from another machine and retrieve documents. Log into GMail from another machine.

These are really the only scenarios I'm worried about, and I can restore a sufficient amount of data in any of them.

[U4EA]

What OS? Linux?

I flirted with the idea of using Ubuntu for a bit but decided to stick with something slightly more familiar; it's on 32-bit Windows 7.

My current backup strategy is:
- Dropbox for my document data (including copies of stuff I've released for various games, CV, websites and design files EPS/TGA etc. Comes to under a gig. I don't even have to think about this backup, as it's all automatic

- GMail keeps my email, so not issues with reformatting or broken drives there.

- Win 7 images itself once a week from my system drive to my large data drive.

- MP3s, videos etc on my data drive, I don't worry about. If it goes, it goes.

Key thing for me is treating different types of data in different ways, by placing them in separate places. If I had my docs all mingled up with my ISOs and downloaded software, I'd be up shit creek when it came to backing them up as I'd have to do all-or-nothing. That's the key to the whole thing, I reckon. Same thing applies at work (I manage the backup there, too).

Also, consider your restore scenarios. This will dictate how your backups need to work. Here's my list of restore scenarios:
- Primary hard drive fails. Restore backed up OS image from secondary drive and carry on.
- Secondary hard drive fails. Re-rip CDs/DVDs and start fresh. Not a big deal.
- PC asplodes/House burns down. Connect to dropbox from another machine and retrieve documents. Log into GMail from another machine.

These are really the only scenarios I'm worried about, and I can restore a sufficient amount of data in any of them.

I just looked up Dropbox and I'm bit undecided about that. Probably just being paranoid, but the idea of letting personal files [such as CVs, pictures etc] out of control is a bit daunting. Having nothing in the way of offsite backups, I'd probably be screwed in case of a "house burns down" scenario. Will mull this one over a bit more.

Will configure Outlook to keep its PST files on the file server [so it'll be included in my new backup plan].

I'm not too fussed about keeping an OS image, I don't mind spending a couple of hours reinstalling OS/apps. If I absolutely had to though, I could also setup the Windows 7 image thing to backup to the secondary drive.

"Secondary hard drive failure" is the big one for me [rather, file server failure, but it's the same type of data]. I'd poke out my eyes if I had to recollect all my accumulated crap.

[AmIdYfReAk]

What OS? Linux?

UPS so Amidy can browse through his porn collection even during a blackout.

this man knows,

I'm running windows XP and etc, and i guess I'm a little paranoid with dataloss on it.

so having the computer stay on, and shutdown normally when the UPS becomes to low is great IMO, rather then it just shutting off.

[Foo]

You know consumer drives are rated for 40% utilisation, right?

Basically meaning they'll last longer if you only run them 10 hours per day.