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archive drives and workflow
I’m ordering a NewerTech Voyager Q “Quad Interface” Docking Station https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/FWU2ES2HDK/
to back up media files.
I’m editing on a mercury elite al-pro raid using two
1.0TB Hitachi Ultrastar A7K2000 7200RPM SATA I/II Enterprise Class Hard Drive with 32MB. as well as a collection of G-tech enclosures.Four questions:
1. does anyone recommend a different device to archive media files than the above mentioned dock?2. Do anyone think that enterprise class drives are significantly better for archiving purchases or not worth the extra coin? Are they less likely to fail after sitting on the shelf for a long time for example? I know any drive should be booted up every so often. Another reason i like the dock idea.
3. What workflow do you use when you wish archive FCP files and when you wish to put archived files back on your media drive and then open a FCP project?
4. What’s the best way to keep archived media files organized so that old projects and clips can be found?
OSX 10.5.7; MAC Book PRO (EARLY 2008); Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30, Sony vx2000/PD170, Canon xl2; Pana, Sony, and Canon consumer cams; FCP certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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3 Replies
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Hi there, there are many ways to do this for sure, but what we do is what u are planning, we have esata docks and stacks of old iron harddrives. for backup we use the cheapest we can find and I have seen no difference in sata drives as far as failure rates. Expensive ones blow just like the less expensive ones.
After we are done with a project, we use FCP project manager to tidy up the project and push to an archive drive, that’s it.
Now as far as finding what you need later…ha, if you need to find it quickly something like CATDV (see forum here on that) would be the way to go. We’re poor, so we just use stick on labels. Cheers!
jigsPhoenix Studios Nepal: A small A/V Production House in Kathmandu.
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Be very careful about depending on hard drives for archiving purposes, especially if you leave them sitting on a shelf and not accessed regularly.
Details here:
https://www.larryjordan.biz/articles/lj_hard_disk_warning.html
“Magnetic signals recorded on a hard disk are designed to be refreshed periodically. If your hard disks stay on, this happens automatically. However, if you store your projects to a removable hard drive, then store that hard drive on a shelf, unattached to a computer, those magnetic signals will fade over time… essentially, evaporating.”
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that’s a hoot! “earth’s magnetic field could affect data integrity” I guess i’d better worry about giant asteroids and tsunamis too! but seriously, if you are using docks to archive, u are at least accessing the archive drive to fill it up, and then presumably periodically cloning the archive drive to another for placement in the offsite bunker, and then rotating those backups – so something hits those disks periodically until it’s maxed out (over the course of a year or two?). but nothing is forever, and if they change the sata interface in drives (more likely then data erosion?) then that would be bad. last count we just have a couple dozen loose drives (small biz) that are all dependent on …well… everything, including the weather and solar activity. anyway, thx for the interesting read!
Oh while I’m here, we just got a gig where we have to record 550 hours of recording and then create a video library. Anyone have a “best way” tip for storage for that? I’m guessing about 15 of those orange-striped tough drives – 320’s – (not available here) and something like CATDV for metadata? Tips welcome!
Phoenix Studios Nepal: A small A/V Production House in Kathmandu.
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