Computer Backup Services

[eepete]

Diesel-ME: I'll check out Carbonite. Sounds like time machine but off on the internet instead of locally. Any idea what sort of bandwidth is needed? I've only got about 500Kbps now (via cellular data card), but local telco claims to be working on real DSL and I'm close enough to get a 5Mbps line in the next 6 months. Already have drives partitioned so that one is images and one is all other data. OS, programs, etc. are on yet another (as are the various virtual machines under Paralells). So it would be easy to point a program at the critical data to be saved. tnx for the info!

Pete

[neilly2]

Online back up is the way to go. If your back up drive is sitting next to your computer, anything physically that can happen to the computer will take out your back up drive as well (theft, fire, flood, power surge, etc.)

Also, how hot does it get inside the fire safe? will that plastic dvd make it out all right?

I have carbonite and like the other guy said, it backs up as you create new files automatically. I tried external drives... what a pain in the rear.

It may be forced obsolescence but who is forcing it? Maybe the consumers who demand faster and better.

You only need a fast connection when you first back up your entire computer. After that it just updates with the changes you make, so you don't need a fast connection.

[ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by neilly2

It may be forced obsolescence but who is forcing it? Maybe the consumers who demand faster and better.

You only need a fast connection when you first back up your entire computer. After that it just updates with the changes you make, so you don't need a fast connection.

I'm certain forced obsolescence is the the Business Model for the computer industry...

I can go to Caterpillar Tractor and buy anything I want for my 35 year old Dozer...

Evinrude had all the parts needed to keep my outboard running in tip-top shape for 40 years... not the case anymore with the banning of 2-strokes... but it was still nice that they service what they sell...

I picked up a new motor last year for my Grandmother's Electrolux Vacuum... had the guy look up the serial number... 1951...

Computers... seems like a couple years and your on the fringe... run into that all the time at the Hospital... companies can't wait to drop support on medical equipment leaving the only alternatives to buy new or do without...

Just my thoughts...

[neilly2]

There are few technological advances year to year in outboards. That creates a market for parts that the manufacturer's can make money with. If Evinrude came out with a significantly faster, smaller, better and cheaper outboard every year, I bet they wouldn't be making a lot of spare parts.

Computer capability has progressed exponentially in the last 20 years, so there is virtually no market for parts.

But you can also just buy a new operating system and some memory to upgrade your existing computer -- wouldn't that be like changing the motor in the electrolux?

Of course, a longevity comparison between electronics and mechanical equipment is silly.

[/pine]

I picked up a new motor last year for my Grandmother's Electrolux Vacuum... had the guy look up the serial number... 1951...

Some may be shocked to realize the technology of storing data on modern (magnetic platter) hard drives is as old as your grandmother's vacuum cleaner...other than the I/O speed that data is stored/retrieved and the capacity of the platters...little has changed...

New technology is electronic (rather than magnetic) and the storage is in memory modules (flash EPROM) rather than on disks (platters)

One word about online storage...a faction of "cloud" computing... it is not entirely infallible...re: the recent blunder by microsoft losing thousands of T-mobile users data...

[ultrarunner]

I had no problem cancelling... at least that was very easy.

[Sackett2]

There is no one perfect way to back up data, so use a multiple system- Off site is best, but costly. First thing I do is put a second hard drive in the computer and force windows to save the my documents to it. this way if you have a c drive failure, or a virus, you can clean the c drive or replace it and the important data is still on the d dive.
Also use cd's as a monthly back up- then perhaps leave them at a family members house. I have so many computers around here, I pray for the day to network the house.

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by Diesel-ME

I use Carbonite and can assure you that this method of backup is FAR FAR more secure and reliable than making local CD/DVD or external drive copies of your data.

A DVD in a safe deposit box is less secure than storing your data on servers that you have no idea what country they are in? I'll keep my data in my own control, thank you.

[dmccarty]

I do the following for backing up data.

Two external USB drives.. One is a 500GB drive that I manually copy files too because I am paranoid about the backup software the runs a couple of times a week and writes to a 1TB USB drive.

Some of the critical data is easy to back up since it will fit on a single DVD or the USB thumb drive that is in pocket.

Unfortunately the largest back up chore I have is our family photos. Those are backed up on the USB drives but for off site storage I burn DVDs and take them to work.

So, backup are done on USB drives, DVDs, and USB thumb drives.

I could zip and encrypt most of the data and upload to GMAIL and that would be good enough. But it sure is not going to help my GBs of RAW files. And uploading those for storage cost to much the last time I researched it.

Later,
Dan

[BuddyN]

Hi! I'm not sure that backing up data to a CD is a secure method. Several years ago I backed up all of my music from my computer to many CD's. The music on these backed-up CDs was tested (listened too) to ensure that they were OK before being placed into a safe storage. Several months ago, I pulled them out to install this stored music on a new computer. To my horror most were totally unreadable! From what I was told (by a knowledgeable person), CDs (and DVDs) that are computer written are NOT permanent....they degrade over time depending on the ink that the CD/DVD manufacturer used. Purchased CDs and DVDs (Music/movies) are not written by the same method that computer CD/DVDs are written. Based on my experience, I think a "computer written CD/DVD" is temporary at best. Maybe an external portable hard drive (which is magnetically written) is a better option.