How do you do your backups?

[Ian Blackburn]

I run MacPro with a Time Capsule which is in a different building – It’s BRILL!

Ian B

[Bob Woodhead]

Work in progress lives on a RAID 5. There are standard template folders (camera files, audio, edit files, renders, do not archive, client review, etc) that are copied into every new project. When done, some files are deleted (eg: do not archive, renders). Remaining files are copied onto a RAID 1 (mirror raid), then catalogued into a database (Disktracker on Mac). When RAID pair are full, onto shelf. Files can be quickly found again via Disktracker.

About 15 sets of HDD pairs on shelf now. Have had 1 drive fail, but 2nd was good, so simply copied onto new drive to maintain mirrored backup.

Works for me until “the next big thing” happens in storage.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-AFX-Crayola
Panasonic HPX500/AF100

[Chris Borjis]

I use 500GB external hard drives for client back ups. I don’t go any bigger so they span less, have less reliance on just a few drives.

For system backup, every 3-4 months I make a system disk image with carbon copy cloner and store that on a different external drive.

[Joel Arvidsson]

I have been changing my structure to many times now. Im going to make a new better solution and stick with it. So it would be interesting to se how more creative people is sorting your files/naming.

Im interested in both how you index files
Date_client_project_scene_script version_take nr.file extension
Date_project_kamera nr_cam_camera generated name.file extension

and what is you file structure.

Thanks Bob for including your template folders.

joelarvidsson@gmail.com

[Bob Woodhead]

Here’s my template list. These are copied into a top level folder on the RAID 5 that has the project’s name. By using a database that allows multiple search parameters, it’s VERY fast to find any kind of file from years back. For example, criteria 1 = folder name = BigCommercial , criteria 2 = folder name = art, criteria 3 = filename = logo. Badda bing, file found. I’ve used this method since the days of archiving data on CD’s, and it’s migrated perfectly as the media evolves.

“Constituo, ergo sum”

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-AFX-Crayola
Panasonic HPX500/AF100

[Bob Woodhead]

This method also lets you do without the “Date_client_project_” prefix on every file. 😉 Of course, I often create subfolders when I feel like it – eg, “art” folder might contain “client stills”, or whatever.

I do need to mention in my search parameter sample above, “folder name” should really be “ancestor name”, so that random subfolders are searched, as outlined in this post.