File Archiving

[pajdzn]

I am looking for the best method for archiving files. I have been using DVD's but have had a couple go bad, and added Hard drives as extra back-up but recently had 2 different drives go bad as well. Both were WD drives set up to mirror in order to ensure safety of data and one of them failed both drives, losing all data.
The other drive that failed still had the data on the mirrored drive so I was able to retrieve it. But now my files are getting much larger, too big for DVD without sectioning. I need something stable and safe. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[mattbeals]

I still say that tape is a great way of storing data long term. It's not the fastest, but it works great. If you can swing it you can build a storage server and keep it all online. I visited a customer and they keep their 32TB SAN online and available. You can build similar systems. If you need any help let me know.

 

[oxburger]

I agree with Matt. Tape. We have ours set to do an incremental backup daily on one tape and then when jobs get printed, we add the entire job to a separate backup tape.

 

[pajdzn]

Thank you for the replies, I was thinking tape myself but wasn't sure if anything new or better had been introduced.

 

[mazengh]

I have the same Issue at work, Tape is VERY slow for the data size... I currently store on a raid 5 server and I use vlauncher to compare my server data at night and make sure it's mirrored to another server that is just a cheap system with lots of space.

 

[Shawn]

In some places the disk vs tape argument is akin to the Mac vs PC or the Indesign vs Quark rathole. Whatever you use, just make sure to have multiple redundancy (as your example of the failed HD proves). A good rule of thumb is that a file isn't archived unless it's saved in 3 places.

We still have lots of data on tape from a legacy backup system that we'll continue to use but have moved more to rotating hard drives in a 'toaster' mechanism with one set of disks off-site. With the price of 2TB drives regularly approaching $60 it makes it easy to have multiple copies. Restoration is extremely fast compared to tape based systems.

Will the HDs or tapes last 30 years? Maybe not, but by then we'll have migrated to a newer system and recopied the old data. Looking back through the years I think we went from tape to CD to DVD to tape to HD.

Shawn

 

[mazengh]

i agree with shawn, multiple backups are the way to go. using share comparison software like vlauncher helped make the backups much faster cause it's doing a comparison and replacing what changed, deleting what's missing or adding what's new...

 

[otherthoughts]

Here's a link to a similar thread,
http://printplanet.com/forums/prepress-workflow-discussion/13086-back-up-archiving-ideas#post80663

Create multiple instances of your archive data, which are stored in separate geographical locations, upon fault-tolerant/reliable media types that you check the veracity of periodically.

Having all instances of your archives in the same room, does you no good if that room is destroyed in a fire.

Creating several instances of your archives upon media that is not fault-tolerant/reliable, does you no good should all instances of the media degrade/fail.

If you don't check/test the integrity/recoverability of your archives before they are needed, how can you feel comfortable in believing that your archives will perform when they really are needed?

Best Regards - OT

 

[mazengh]

i agree with otherthought

 

[Tech]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but does anyone have a good recommendation [brand and model] for a NAS?

 

[Alith7]

we just set-up a DROBO FS. and it works great!

Drobo - Small Box, Big Storage

you will need to have a Gigbit network system to read/write to it with any speed, but the flexibility of it is amazing!

The only thing is pay attention to how you format the drives when you start! I didn't and now unfortunately all my fonts are corrupt, but I have everything backed up in multiple locations and burned to DVDs.

 

[tvandeve]

Ditto on the Drobo. They rock. It just plain works, no messing with settings. Works on PC and Mac. Makes my Time Machine almost limitless.

 

[David Milisock]

We suggest a RAID 5 server with hot swopable drives, redundant removable USB drives swapped out each week. So many software packages and hardware combinations that the list of good choices would be extensive.

 

[mattbeals]

Skip RAID 5 and go with RAID 6 since it is much more resilient. Or, striped mirrors if the budget allows.

 

[David Milisock]

The RAID 6 overhead for write may be an issue for large volumes of large files but our two installs seem ok but the shops have smalller file volumes.
We haven't had ant real issue since the redundant USB drives have gotten to be about $10o for a terabyte in some cases we are running 3 USB drive. One client with veternary imaging uses quad backups abd RAID 5 with no issues. I'm thinking mayber RAID 6 with their new server.

BTW have yiou tired the Raptor drives? I have used them for about 30 systems and have no complaints as long as you prepare for the heat issue but I believe our next test system will be solid state.

 

[Tech]

We have been considering Drobo S or FS vs Synology DiskStation DS1511. Synology is more compiling with better network sharing performance and scalable storage... adding Synology DX510, you can expend up to 45TB. It's not like we'll ever get up to 45TB but it's good have as an option. It does support Raid 6 as well but I'll need to look into that.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Alith7]

We have been considering Drobo S or FS vs Synology DiskStation DS1511. Synology is more compiling with better network sharing performance and scalable storage... adding Synology DX510, you can expend up to 45TB. It's not like we'll ever get up to 45TB but it's good have as an option. It does support Raid 6 as well but I'll need to look into that.

Thanks for the replies.

Never say never....
my first mac tower had a 10GB hard drive that I thought was just HUGE. Now the Mac OS wouldn't even fit in 10GB. on top of that, my first external back-up was a 2TB laCie that we spent $2100 on and thought it was a good price. Now I look at my 10TB Drobo and think that should make it another 2 years before I need more archive space.

 

[David Milisock]

We have been considering Drobo S or FS vs Synology DiskStation DS1511. Synology is more compiling with better network sharing performance and scalable storage... adding Synology DX510, you can expend up to 45TB. It's not like we'll ever get up to 45TB but it's good have as an option. It does support Raid 6 as well but I'll need to look into that.

Thanks for the replies.

45 Tb there's a size to live with.