How do you backup your data?

[zztroyzz]

Hi everyone,

I've seen lots of threads recommending people backup their data outside of their RAID arrays. I've seen some people recommend tape, some recommend other hard drives and some even use co-located servers for offsite backups but I haven't seen people usually describe what they actually are using.

I'm looking for a fairly simple, relatively-cheap on site backup solution. For me truly important data I have is small and is backed up to a cloud provider.

What would some of the recommendations be?

I'm considering a Seagate 8TB Archive drive, could this be a good solution? (On sale here in Canada, $299)

My server details are below:

Fractal Design Node 804 (space for 2 more 3.5in HDD)
ASRock C2550D41
Crucial 16GB(2x8) ECC RAM
3x Seagate 3TB NAS Drives
3x WD Green 1TB Drives (old, I like to replace these with 5TB WD Red's)
Seasonic G-450 (450W) PSU

 

[BigDave]

Currently my files are copied to:

• off-site service (cloud)
• local 6TB HDD on Windoze
• Purpose built Freenas server

Have built second Freenas server which is awaiting funds for final disk config.
I still have the original (3) 1TB WD Black HDDs where all my files originated
that have >17,000 hours of use, that are still going strong...

What would some of the recommendations be?

I'm considering a Seagate 8TB Archive drive, could this be a good solution? (On sale here in Canada, $299)

I have the 6TB drive used as you describe, however, I'm not ever going to depend
on just one solution.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I'm considering a Seagate 8TB Archive drive, could this be a good solution? (On sale here in Canada, $299)

Sure, why not? You even have room to put a mirrored pair of them inside your case as a replication destination.

My FreeNAS is a primarily a backup destination for data that's also backed up offsite. The very small amount of important data that originates on it is also backed up onsite and offsite. Therefore, I don't back it up at all (except the config).

Only you can answer the question properly, based on what risks you're trying to mitigate.

 

[joeschmuck]

I think it depends on several factors...

1) How frequently the data changes.
2) Do you want to protect it from accidental deletion.
3) The amount of data wanted to backup.

I backup all my photos to DVD-R media a few times a year. This ensures photos are always safe. Until the photos are placed on a DVD-R they will are copied to both my main computer and my FreeNAS this way if one fails, the other survives.

I backup important financial data to both my main computer, to the cloud, and of course to my FreeNAS. Note that this is a small amount of data, about 2.6MB (not compressed).
Anything else I deem worthy or retention (ex: purchased software downloads) go on to a DVD-R as well.

Everything finds it's way to a DVD-R in time, even the financial records when I archive them for the year. This is the safest way I know to store my data short of an off-site NAS solution.

I do not backup my computer system backups because I have to assume that if my FreeNAS failed, my main computers are still working fine. I can create new backups.

 

[zztroyzz]

Thanks for the help everyone, I think I'll likely go with the 8TB archive drive to backup all data and continue to cloud sync to a 3rd party provider for "high value" data that would be irreplaceable if lost.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Everything finds it's way to a DVD-R in time, even the financial records when I archive them for the year. This is the safest way I know to store my data short of an off-site NAS solution.

I'm just curious, do you make two copies of every DVD-R? I'm asking because optical media have a notoriously short shelf life, but having two copies of each disk gives you an excellent chance of getting your data back using ddrescue.

 

[Darren Myers]

I use crashplan pro, i have roughly 27Tb in the cloud with them, some active backups others archives, and different revisions. I also have a fireproof/waterproof backup thats onsite for super uber important stuff

 

[joeschmuck]

I'm just curious, do you make two copies of every DVD-R? I'm asking because optical media have a notoriously short shelf life, but having two copies of each disk gives you an excellent chance of getting your data back using ddrescue.

Nope, only one copy but I do hang on to the old copy so I do have almost 2 identical copies except for new data of course. I destroy the oldest copy (did that make sense). I use only compatible media on my DVD drive and burn at 8x vice max speed, you get a deeper pit burn in the media. I've yet to have a CD or DVD not be read except if it were physically damaged by abuse.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Nope, only one copy but I do hang on to the old copy so I do have almost 2 identical copies except for new data of course.

There's a big difference between having 2 almost identical and 2 identical, as far as data recovery is concerned. Anyway, my quick search came up with very wide variations in estimates for the lifespan of recorded DVD-Rs. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how many of the credible estimates are in the 20+ year range, which is probably more than most of us need in practice.

 

[joeschmuck]

I have some CD-R's which were created back in 1996 I think, they will be good forever, well that is the idea. Yup, at the time many people were using gold to ensure they didn't degrade.

And of course everyone should do their own risk assessment to see how safe they want data to be. Sadly many people just assume they will never have a problem and BAM! they accidentally deleted everything or the hard drive craps out on them. I have learned from the school of hard knocks.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I have some CD-R's which were created back in 1996 I think, they will be good forever, well that is the idea.

One thing that came up a couple of times in my reading was, "expected to last longer than the technology", which reminds us that, for truly long-term storage, we need to migrate data to new media periodically. I visited a client the other day and he asked me whether his ZIP drive would work with his recently upgraded OS X and showed me several drawers full of ZIP disks. I encouraged him to copy whatever was readable off those disks ASAP!

 

[joeschmuck]

ZIP disks, I had one but fortunately didn't get into it very big, I had 5 disks. CD's and DVD's became my choice, I was always looking for the latest greatest thing ( I just couldn't afford them).

 

[SirMaster]

I back up the full pool to a second backup ZFS server which I use ZFS send/recv to. Then I also use CrashPlan which also has a full backup of all my data.

Finally, the really important stuff is also stored on disks that I keep at family's homes and update when I can.

 

[JoeVulture]

I back up my ZFS volume to a pair of eSATA hard drives (a dock enclosure with two dedicated eSATA interfaces, no port multiplier). I rotate the disks out every week and keep the latest backup off-site (so, one active and two more backup sets onsite). I need to get a second off-site location... :)

 

[DifferentStrokes]

I run a RAIDZ2 volume, so I don't need a backup....











Just kidding...I replicate to an off site NAS.

 

[no_connection]

Currently backing up to 1TB NTFS formatted drives. All manual.