External Hard Drives and Backup (Page 2): Thanks Gene51. It does look like Synology is a better solution. Any recommendation on sizes/models? Or types of drives? Seagate vs. WD?

dandev Loc: Enumclaw, WA

Gene51 wrote:

If you are thinking of a drobo, then forget it and... (show quote)

Thanks Gene51.
It does look like Synology is a better solution.
Any recommendation on sizes/models? Or types of drives? Seagate vs. WD?
Synology offers a "photo" organization/catalog program. Not really what I need as I use Capture One for editing and organizing.

I'm looking for the NAS to do 2 things:
1. Make and keep/store a current copy of what's on my laptop hard drive. (1 TB)
2. Be a place to store older photos (processed and raw) in 2 separate places (not on my laptop) in case one drive fails. Probably 4TB of data currently. I see this growing to 8TB.

Thanks

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

dandev wrote:

I'm looking for suggestions on a file storage solution. (Like a Drobo).
I'm thinking 2 separate hard drives - plus a third drive just for backup. I'm ready to spring for solid state drives.
Or maybe the backup is in the cloud.

Thanks...

I use a Drobo raid+ four drives, Three for file back up and the fourth for time machine. Nothing is stored on my computer!!!!The Drobo is connected by USB. This was very helpful when I had trouble with an OS Big Sur upgrade.
The trouble was minor but it took six weeks for Apple techs to figure out.
I don't trust the Cloud!!! I'M 82 yrs old and I figure three drives won't all fail at the same time. During my move in 2018-19 my Drobo got damaged I bought the new Drobo raid + and swapped all drives without a hitch!!

ELNikkor

I equate the HDD drives with the stone age, not unlike Edison's first phonograph, recording data on a spinning disc. Yet, I have a 4TB WD and some Seagates, all with HDD technology. In addition, I've backed these up with flash drives. Just bought my first 1TB San Disk SSD. I don't mind having the HDDs backing each other up, as there is little chance both will fail at the same time.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

dandev wrote:

I'm looking for suggestions on a file storage solution. (Like a Drobo).
I'm thinking 2 separate hard drives - plus a third drive just for backup. I'm ready to spring for solid state drives.
Or maybe the backup is in the cloud.

Thanks...

I have a drobo with 4 2tb drives. I enjoy it because it's a set and forget solution. I had a drive go bad after a few years western digital red. I just swapped it out and drobo took care of the rest. They are simple and if you buy a used one and put your own drives in it can be very reasonable

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Drbobcameraguy wrote:

I have a drobo with 4 2tb drives. I enjoy it because it's a set and forget solution. I had a drive go bad after a few years western digital red. I just swapped it out and drobo took care of the rest. They are simple and if you buy a used one and put your own drives in it can be very reasonable

Juy Loc: Delaware

dandev wrote:

I'm looking for suggestions on a file storage solution. (Like a Drobo).
I'm thinking 2 separate hard drives - plus a third drive just for backup. I'm ready to spring for solid state drives.
Or maybe the backup is in the cloud.

Thanks...

I just set up a Synology six bay NAS with six four megabit drives running raid6. In the process of moving all my files to it. With raid 6 I can loose 2 drives and not loose data. I'm going to use a cloud as a back up but haven't decided which. The Synology will also host my web page. Present set up gives me 13TB of storage. If I need more space I can replace drives with larger ones and the system will handle migrating to the replacement drives.

Bayou

DirtFarmer wrote:

Three drives is good, but I don't see much point in spending big bucks for SSD. The spinners are cheaper and will work just fine. Backup is not something where you need fast access to the files.

Conventional drives are preferable for backup. Longer life, proven tried and true over several decades, while SSD is still new tech that has less history to have faith in...and HHD is much cheaper. The speed of SSD goes essentially unnoticed in a backup application, a waste.

IzzyKap Loc: Rockville, MD

dandev wrote:

I'm looking for suggestions on a file storage solution. (Like a Drobo).
I'm thinking 2 separate hard drives - plus a third drive just for backup. I'm ready to spring for solid state drives.
Or maybe the backup is in the cloud.

Thanks...

A recent article by Brian Matiash
https://www.matiash.com/blog/why-i-switched-from-drobo-to-sandisk-professional-and-g-technology

Bayou

Manglesphoto wrote:

...I don't trust the Cloud!!! I'M 82 yrs old and I figure three drives won't all fail at the same time....

Those three drives could easily all fail at the same time in a fire, or a tornado, or a flood, or a hurricane, or be stolen, or taken by over zealous law enforcement. That's what remote (cloud) backup is for. There's no reason not to trust it.

Cloud services are run by professionals who backup your data within their system in multiple locations, usually spread across the country. Your local backup doesn't hold a candle to the reliability of a professionally run cloud service.

Don't rely on remote backup totally, but do include it in addition to your local backup. If you don't have a quality cloud service backing up your data, along with your local drives, you're not properly backed up...simple as that.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

lreisner wrote:

Just as a reminder to Amazon Prime members: They offer unlimited back up of your digital photo files without size restrictions. It is at no additional cost. It is not ideal but does work and as they say its better than nothing. If you down load the app it will also upload all of your cell phone pictures as well.

👍👍

bikerguy

My backup system for all files (photos and others) consists of two external drives. I attach one to the computer only when I am about to do my periodic backup. The second HHD is kept in a bank safe deposit box. Monthly I swap them and run a back up on the drive I took from the safe deposit box and then periodically during the month.

I do not want my financial information in cloud storage that may or may not have adequate protection from hacking.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I have been told that if a solid state drives you a 0% chance of recovery. So I don't us them and all drives can fail. I store two separate drives as taken 9Store by date (today is 211229). and after Im finished I store the finished pictures on two other drives, by category.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Bayou wrote:

Those three drives could easily all fail at the sa... (show quote)

At my age if I am home a fire or tornado will probably kill me

so it don't really make that much difference and if not I can start over

although I have thought about putting the Drobo in one of my gun safes since one has a 110v and usb out lets in it, but there other problems with this idea.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

bikerguy wrote:

My backup system for all files (photos and others) consists of two external drives. I attach one to the computer only when I am about to do my periodic backup. The second HHD is kept in a bank safe deposit box. Monthly I swap them and run a back up on the drive I took from the safe deposit box and then periodically during the month.

I do not want my financial information in cloud storage that may or may not have adequate protection from hacking.

I see the "drive in a bank safe deposit box" solution online frequently. I would like to point out the example of Paradise, CA. The whole town burned. That means whatever was in the bank safe was probably destroyed along with the local storage. Paradise CA is not the only example of a regional disaster. You could include floods and earthquakes in the causes.

The "third drive stored somewhere else" solution works, but only if the somewhere else is not local. And if it isn't local, it isn't convenient. And if it isn't convenient, it will not be regularly synchronized.

As noted frequently, cloud storage is (1) maintained by professionals, minimizing the impact of drive failures; (2) duplicated and distributed across countries, even continents, minimizing the impact of regional disasters; (3) depending on the system, is updated continually, within minutes, minimizing the loss of recent data.

If you worry about your financial information, encrypt it.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

That brings up the surge protection in your system. Most of us probably use a serge protector with our computer.
I have one and they put a automatic generator in the house. It came with a total house serge protector, so I am gambling I am safe. But, If you totally unplug the power cord and the connection to the computer you would be safe. This may be extreme, I lost a hard drive about 15- 20 years ago that could not be recovered.