HDs versus DVDs for backups

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googlegroups@sensation.net.au - 17 Jan 2007 04:37 GMT

I've recently settled on using a 400Gb HD inside a removable carrier
for backups, and will buy another soon so I can have A-B backups. I
decided against DVD backups because they were static and would be more
difficult to manage with that many gigs of data.

I've just thought of a distinct disadvantage of my choice... which is a
petty thief more likely to grab, a stack of 50 home burnt DVD discs
with labels referring to photos, or a HD carrier?

(Hmmm. They'd also have to grab my fairly heavy full tower case for the
loss to have any lasting impact. :) )

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phototext - 17 Jan 2007 05:48 GMT

As painfull as it is to do I would suggest having another set of DVD
backups offsite.

I had some backups nicked along with a laptop at one point and now drop
a second set of backups at a friends regularly (I've also had a house
burn down on my many years ago and lost a bunch of negs).

> I've recently settled on using a 400Gb HD inside a removable carrier
> for backups, and will buy another soon so I can have A-B backups. I
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> (Hmmm. They'd also have to grab my fairly heavy full tower case for the
> loss to have any lasting impact. :) )

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googlegroups@sensation.net.au - 18 Jan 2007 09:20 GMT

> As painfull as it is to do I would suggest having another set of DVD
> backups offsite.
>
> I had some backups nicked along with a laptop at one point and now drop
> a second set of backups at a friends regularly (I've also had a house
> burn down on my many years ago and lost a bunch of negs).

For the moment I'll be using a second HD stored at a friends place.
It's probably worth making an occasional dump to DVD for some extra
redundancy. Then I'll have-

1) Primary RAID10 array - inside desktop
2) Secondary RAID0 array for backup files - inside desktop
3) "A" HD carrier - hidden outside of home office
4) "B" HD carrier - offsite
5) Set of DVDs - offsite

Sounds extreme but right now everything is located inside my house, so
a fire or particularly discerning burglar could really hurt.

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kosh - 17 Jan 2007 08:39 GMT

which is worth more selling them down the pub.... someone elses home
pics or computer hardware?

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Douglas - 17 Jan 2007 10:24 GMT

A lifetime of Photographs was lost to me 1993 when a charming Romanian
fellow (anonymously) swapped me his battered suit case for a very nice,
custom made aluminium trunk which just happened to have all my trannies and
negs in it dating back as far as I care to remember.

I was staying in a (maybe 4 star) hotel in Perth at the time while the
painter's were in my place. Today of course we have to opportunity to make
multiple backups and store them in different locations - safe deposit box
for the real valuable ones.

If you ever have to send a drive to the US for data recovery, you'll
recognize the value of an off site, on-line repository for your image.

Signature

Australian Wedding Photography between Kempsy, NSW and Sunshine Coast.
http://www.photosbydouglas.com
Digital photos enlarged and printed on Canvas
http://canvas.photosbydouglas.com

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