backing up data 2

[rastaIT34]

I know this a aged old question. I need to back up my data/computer. I'm trying to find the easiest , quickest way to back up my computer/files etc.


What are the pros/cons of using flash drives as a means to back up?

Are they reliable means of backing up sensitive data? your computer?

 

[BadBigBen]

Pros:

easy to use = OS adds them as a drive
due to their small size, will fit almost anywhere...
up to 64 GB in size...

Cons:

1. depending on File System, not all OS can read them properly...
2. due to their small size, they can be lost easily...
3. depending on where you get them, some 8gig or above have had problems...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[rastaIT34]

i've heard they dont have long life spans...
would it be bad idea to create a restore point on them?



what about DVDs, i currently have 4.7gig discs...but i've seen higher ones...

 

[Nelviticus]

DVDs = sloooow. I use them for archiving photos and so on but for system backup they're just too painful and too manual.

If you're talking about backing up a home PC in case it goes bang, a flash drive should do. It doesn't need to last for years. If you're talking about backing up business-critical data that you need to keep for years then you need something more robust.

Every method has a down-side, you just need to get the balance right. I back up to a external USB hard drive - if it dies my backup is lost, but the chance of it dying and my PC dying at the same time is so low that it doesn't worry me.

An external hard drive is the easiest & quickest way. If your PC has an eSATA port then get an eSATA drive, if not then USB 2.0 is only slightly slower.

Nelviticus

 

[rastaIT34]

thank you very much, i'm gonna get a external drive and a few flash drives....can you recommend a good flash drive....

i guess i can research...

i must say this site has been a great help...

 

[Nelviticus]

I've used Sandisk and Corsair flash drives and they've both been reliable. I've also used several 'no name' flash drives which have died on me.

Nelviticus

 

[kjv1611]

USB Flash drives - Patriot and Corsair have been good drives for me, considering the abuse I've given them. Performance is especially good on these:

Corsair Flash Voyager - though the largest ones have had many complaints of being way too slow.

Patriot XPorter - the 64GB is REAL nice. It's all aluminum casing, even feels like quality. From my experience with that one, I'd say it'd be difficult to break. I've got the 32GB one personally, and another "partner" in our church media ministry is now using the 64GB model. Eventually, I'll have to get that one for myself - the Lord willing, and I actually get enough spare dough again.

When you look at them, I'd suggest looking for tests that show supposed durability and speed. Also, I'd personally stay away from the ones that force you to use some sort of autorun software. It can be buggy, and I remember one fella who got one (don't remember for sure, but it may have been a Sandisk Cruizer), and brought it to church. He swore he got it to work correctly at home, but the thing actually made our church media PC crash. I was able to boot it right back up, but Windows actually froze b/c of that one - annoyed me to no end. Actually, he had 2 in a row with the same/similar software, both with problems. He later got a PNY thumb drive, and I was blown away by it's performance, and no extra software.

Basically, in my opinion, for a flash drive, I'm not looking for software - just storage. If I really want to run software off of it, I'll get that separate, usually free - such as portableapps.com.

Methods of backup - I'd suggest NOT using a flash drive to put restore points on. I'd use it just to strait back up important documents and such. Basically I'd not use a flash drive for anything that would have very many read/writes of data. I've had to replace at least 1 Corsair Flash Voyager, actually 2 I think - different sizes, and I think I may now have to replace my Patriot Xporter 32GB.

One test I read of the Xporter XT before the 32GB Xporter Magnum came to market showed a test comparing something like 10 or 15 flash drives. The only drive that could keep up with the Patriot was a Lexar Lightening 2GB or 4GB SLC flash drive. 99% of the flash drives on the market now are MLC - it's TONS cheaper that way. But MLC isn't as fast, generally, as SLC, and it's not as reliable. If you happen to be able to find an SLC drive, reasonable, and it'll fit your needs - storage space-wise, then go with it.

From a backup perspective, being easy, and being a full system back-up, my personal suggestion is to use Acronis True Image, and run the backup process through it to an external hard drive, eSata if possible. And there are drives out there which will automatically power down with no activity and/or when your Windows PC is shut down. I think that feature alone would be important for a no-effort backup. If the thing is powered down, it isn't spinning, so your chances of data loss on that drive are greatly reduced.

Another option to look at is online backups - there are just too many out there to mention them all. Mozy has one that many say is good, but I don't know of a single service that hasn't had at least some griping about it. It's still a fairly new idea. But it would be a good backup for important documents - I mean backup of a backup, so to speak.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[Nelviticus]

There are two problems with on-line backups - firstly it takes forever to upload the data (I don't know what it's like in the US but here in the UK upload speeds are usually pitiful) and secondly you need an internet connection to restore the data.

Nelviticus

 

[kjv1611]

Yeah, still lots of bumps, but that's why I mentioned it more or less as a "backup of a backup." ;p

I know where I'm at, we have 1mbps for the fastest, or one of the fastest upload speeds. If you've got at least a 512kbps upload speed, I'd imagine you'd be fine for any typical documents and personal files. I wouldn't do a whole system backup that way, though.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[goombawaho]

Off site backup is very important. External hard drives or burned CDs/DVDs or even flash drives taken off site are a great idea. Online backup combined with one of these methods is also recommended to really have yourself covered.

I wouldn't trust my sole backup to a flash drive. They aren't as unreliable as floppy disks were, but they're not the holy grail of data archiving.

I've been using the free Mozy Home for a year now - perfect, no problems, very quick restores. Cannot say anything bad about it even if 2GB wasn't FREE.

 

[kmcferrin]

For every backup system you can name, I can name a shortcoming. That's just the nature of backups. It's up to everyone to try to evaluate what works best for their needs.

I like the idea of having a USB hard disk that you can copy data to. I agree that it's unlikely that you'll lose your PC and your backup disk at the same time. But if you leave them both plugged in and an electrical storm zaps your house, you can lose them both. Same with a house fire.

I like the online backups, but if your upload speeds aren't very good then they can take a long time. On the bright side, most of the online backup clients are smart enough to do differential backups for life, so once you do a full backup (which may take a day or two) it will only every backup changes going forward. Even on my system with almost 1TB of data, very little of it changes on a daily basis, and even less of that churn is significant. So after the first backup subsequent backups can be very fast.

Of course on the downside, you do need connectivity to their service to do a restore. Some of them will provide you the option to have them ship the data to you on physical media (hard disk, DVD, etc) in the event that you need to do a restore and don't have connectivity. That option may be worth looking into. The other downside is that your data will no longer be under your control. If you're just backing up pictures of your kids, your resume, homework, etc, then it might be an acceptable risk to you. If you're backing up confidential business data or something that is legally privileged, you may not want to entrust that data to third parties.

For any sort of backup system (even a USB hard disk) I would recommend that you use the strongest encryption possible if you have any security concerns whatsoever. I'd look for something like 256-bit AES or better right now, but as computing power increases you may want more robust protection going forward.

For the paranoid, I'd recommend that you use a USB/fireire/eSATA attached hard disk and store it in a fireproof safe in your home (with your other important documents), and use encryption. For now that seems like one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure that your data is protected.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[wahnula]

I like simple file-copy sync backup like SyncBack SE (

http://www.2brightsparks.com)

for my files...once the initial backup is done the subsequent syncs take much less time, and it's not in a proprietary or compressed format. Backup to more than one source, I backup my home PC to an external USB drive plus a folder on another PC.

For my server at work, I use NTBackup (SBS Backup) + SyncBack SE to internal & external drives. A multi-pronged approach is best, and will include DVDs, Hard disks, other PCs, and maybe flash drives. I avoid backup to flash drive because they are too easy to lose or grow legs. I use laptop HDDs in cheap cases for backup because they are usually meant to take more traveling. Offsite media should be a part of your backup strategy as well. Buy (2) drives and rotate them, leaving one far from the other. Best of luck.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[goombawaho]

Be careful not to over complicate your life with 12 different backup media and/or strategies.

Pick two - and make sure one of them is offsite either by it's very nature (ONLINE backup) or taking some media and storing it under a bush outside your house.

The bush is a great idea unless someone finds it and steals it or a fire truck drives over it trying to put the fire out at your house.

 

[kjv1611]

The bush is a great idea unless someone finds it and steals it or a fire truck drives over it trying to put the fire out at your house.

[ROFL]
[ROFL]
[ROFL]

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[kjv1611]

I can see it now...

No! My house just caught fire! There go all our digital pictures and tax files! Oh, wait, it's just fine and safe under that b........ NO!!!!!

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[JimInKS]

For off site storage.

If you have an office job you can take a backup copy to work and just rotate your home backup and work backup copies.

Of course, a safety deposit box would be a good choice.

Or, if you don't want to pay for a safety deposit box, and the work thing is out, you could keep a copy at a friends house (assuming you trust them).

Just be sure the second location is likely to survive whatever destroys your home.

 

[goombawaho]

I had a hard drive that I left at work at my last job containing my most important backup. When they decided to outsource our department and I was on my way out the door, it looked a little suspicious to them when I pulled a hard drive out of the drawer and said "it's my backup drive".

I don't do that any more.

 

[kjv1611]

[ROFL]

goombawaho, you've just got me rolling on this thread for sure!

I could only imagine the looks on the faces of IT/management with that scenerio.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[goombawaho]

Thanks man.

 

[edfair]

I don't have much stuff to worry about and I keep OS and application loaders available so any recovery is just going to be of data or special application programs. Everything goes onto 1 or 2 burned CDs, with an offsite copy of the current stuff and the local copy going back forever.
The issue is finding the valuable stuff in a format that the burning software can use it. So the underlying idea is to not use any MS default storage locations and pick ones that make sense to the backup scheme..

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.