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Massive storage options??
Looking for a suggestion for large backup.
I routinely need to archive FCP projects that are 100 – 500 GB in size. I use an xraid for online production, but would like to dump off/reload projects as they become dormant/active. I have a bunch of external 200 and 300gb fire wire drives that I keep off sight and that seems to be working well, however soon I will be juggling 20 plus drives. I’m sure that I am far from along with this dilemma and thought I would query you seasoned bovines,
Thanks
RobertRobert
Work like you don’t need the money…
Love like you’ve never been hurt…
Dance like nobody -
5 Replies
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Keep using those FW drives… they still are the best bet I think.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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Robert- Another option you might consider is hot swappable Sata drives. We just setup an external Sata array (dual
300s- 600 GB) and the cost was about $650 including drives, controller card, external enclosure and hot-swap trays.
We shoot for drive prices at $.50 a GB (just about the price of Beta SP video tape at 8-bit uncompressed). Ours is set up as a raid system and is super fast, but I’m sure a single Sata will knock the socks off a firewire drive speed wise. The external enclosure will hold 4 drives but we are only using two drives and swap them out when we switch projects. We have an old PCI controller card that only has two channels. Seritek now makes one with 8 external channels! Our plan is to buy extra trays at $20 ea and put drives on the shelves when they are full. We have firewire drives also but they are slow transfering big loads. Hope this helps.
Jerry -
Honestly, is it really necessary to have live backups of all your projects at all times? I just burn the project file and graphics to CD and put it on the shelf next to the master tapes. Less hassle, less expensive and yes, of course it works fine for restoring the project if need be. Rarely have I ever needed to restore an old project.
Food for thought anyway.
O&O-Gunner Productions
FCP-Avid-After Effects -
I seem to do it a lot. Same client, changes to product line, means update of the associated video… It’s less expensive to buy a firewire drive than it is to recapture media in their case for sure… we also use a lot of the same media from project to project so it helps there too.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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Hi,
Thats a good idea. The main advantage in this application would be buying a $20 tray (or reusing the same tray) rather than buying the whole FW enclosure (easier to swap a tray on a drive than remove/add a drive to an enclosure) for each drive.
Best Wishes,
Mitch
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