Best backup system?

[Scott Sheriff]

Could use more info.
What machine do you have, what is it you want to back up……

[Jay Evs]

2 X 2.26ghz Quad-Core Intel,

12 Gig Ram

Snow leopard

2 X 1TB hard disks

I just want to back up data, video files and projects.

thanks

[Adam Taylor]

you hear wrong!

A tape based system is by far the safest method of backing up data…its why all the banks and governments use them. They are a known technology, have a good longterm shelf life, and are not likely to fall foul of manufacturers desire to change disk formats every few years.

Hard drives have a very limited shelf, and if not used regularly the magnetic field on a hard drive is known to fade resulting in corrupt data.

I use an Overland Arcvault 24 Tape Library. This holds 24 LTO3 tapes, each capable of up to 800gb of storage. I use this in conjunction with Netvault Backup software to schedule and run all my backups.

You can get much smaller devices, but as i backup 3 macs, and two Raids (14Tb) – i need a big capacity.

Speaking from experience I would not trust hard drives for backing up.

I have twice had raid failures due to faulty drives, and both times i was able to restore my data. Only three weeks ago – I had two drives fail over the weekend, causing complete loss of data from the larger raid, which contains almost 4 years of edit work! After replacing the faulty drives, and 23 hours of automatically rewriting the data, i was good to go again.

Get a tape based system….you’ll only regret it if you don’t!

adam

Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

http://www.sculptedbliss.co.uk

[Erik Lindahl]

I can second this… Tape-based back-up is very solid in a lot of situations. The only down-sides are:

– Relatively slow random access of files
– Higher base-line price (i.e. you will have to get tape-recorder of some sort, you will have to get a back-up software of some sort)

If you want to live cheap get a disk or raid-set of some sort ≈30% large than your current system has and use TimeMachine.

If you want to live safe get a spare drive and use TimeMachine for near-realtime-project-file backups and a tape-based solution for daily back-ups of EVERYTHING. The Tape-based solution will also act has an archive, getting TimeMachine to do this is perhaps possible but you need a lot of storage.

————————
Erik Lindahl
Freecloud Post Production Services
http://www.freecloud.se

[Adam Taylor]

for a backup system, i would think a relatively slow random access to files is pretty pointless anyway. Its not intended for instant access but as a safe, secure way of preserving your data.

As for cost – its relative to what your needs are…the more data needs to be protected, the lower the relative cost is when compared to the potential losses incurred if you should lose all your data.

adam

Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

http://www.sculptedbliss.co.uk

[David Bogie]

“Back up” or “archive?”

The problem with most such questions is the perceived need is confused with the necessary methodology. If you really need backup protection, you make a daily run that is transported and stored offsite and your backup routine rotates between three sets of media. A backup media set that is stored next to your computer is not a backup at all, it’s just an expensive fetish. If your office is burgled or burned, your backup disappears with your computer.

Another thing: you must periodically test your backup sets in what’s known as a Dark Start Test. You must be able to load your backup media onto a remote computer and get back to work in a reasonable amount of time or you’re wasting your money.

bogiesan

[Bob Cole]

Sounds as if you have put tape to the acid test! Glad it worked out.

I’m a bit envious of your tape autoloader and the automated approach it allows. I have a single LTO3 drive hooked up to the SCSI port on a PC in my network. It’s quite cumbersome. I manually copy over files from the Mac to the hard drive on the PC, then manually copy to the LTO3 tape. The only advantage to all this hands-on work is that I can create separate tape libraries for individual clients, which makes it easier to find files I need to restore.

I second the opinions about tape vs. hard drive. Before the LTO3 I had about 20 hard drives for backups, and one failure was enough to convince me that they are a terrible idea for archiving. Archives should be able to sit on a shelf and work after years of inactivity — exactly what you should NOT try with a hard drive.

I don’t think I’m going to spend the money for the tape autoloader. My next solution: RAID5 or 6 for active media files, Time Machine for project files, and my cumbersome but solid LTO3 system for (1) video from non-tape sources and (2) finished projects that I’m removing from the RAID.

Then there’s the issue of off-site backup in case the whole building goes up in flames…. What do you do about that?

Bob C

[Bob Cole]

David,

We were responding to this thread at the same time.

You’ve hit several nails on the head. Scary thoughts, but you’re right – “Dark Start,” hunh?

The off-site storage issue is major, and very difficult given the huge amount of media that video requires. If you need to restore something immediately, and it isn’t onsite, that isn’t good either.

I’m rethinking. Thanks though.

Bob C

[Adam Taylor]

Off-site storage of the backups is definitely the right thing to do.
24 LTO3 tapes will easily fit in a holdall, so i can take one set of tapes home with me, and leave one set in the loader. Change them weekly, and jobs done.

As for the video – all my video is on the raids in full uncompressed 10bit, so its all backed up onto the tapes anyway. If the building should burn down, i won’t have the digibetas, but i’ll still have the media on the data tapes.

I misread Davids note earlier and thought he wrote “Dark Star” test!! My mind immediately thought of the “intelligent bomb”that wants to destroy everything in the film of the same name…not the kind of test i want to do with my backups!!

adam

Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

http://www.sculptedbliss.co.uk

[Chris Borjis]

While tape is the best method for backing up….

There really is nothing wrong with backing up to hard drives.
(I’ve worked in the computer industry 10 years prior to doing post work and have first hand experience)

If you want extra protection get an external drive with 2 internal
drives and set them up for mirroring.

I have several hard drives (not work related) that are over 15 years old that come online
any time I plug them in.

I know some folks have had trouble with drives from time to time, but honestly, unless
the drive is physically destroyed you will almost always be able to retrieve it
no matter what happens.

If you can afford a tape backup solution go for it, but I wouldn’t be too worried
about backing up to hard drives. lots of people do. and lots of people don’t back up
at all and still stay out of trouble, though thats pretty dangerous.