Best Data Backup Methods in 2014?

Guest · Apr 28, 2014

Hello,

I've been doing some research on data backups and the current most reliable ways to backup data, but the amount of options is daunting and I don't really know what is best for my situation. I've had HDDs fail on me in the past and have potentially lost data (still working on recovering it) because of it. I want to avoid that ever happening again so I was thinking RAID 1 would be good, but what about natural disaster proofing?

My most important need is that I need to be able to easily and reliably backup and restore the data without any chance of corruption. I've heard RAID 1 is really good for that but how can I tell if any of the drives in the array are failing? If I ever need to could I also remove one of the RAID 1 drives and plug it into another computer as an external to access all the data, or is that impossible? Is there maybe a better physical way to backup data?

I was also exploring cloud options for my absolute must keep data, and I'm not sure who or what is a good choice. Some people have told me to go NAS and just RAID 1 them, and also use their online cloud capabilities, but I don't know if that's a good option for me since I'm not very computer savvy and I've heard NAS runs it's own OS. I also heard doing data recovery from them kind of sucks and isn't easy to do yourself.

Could anyone help me out here, I'm thinking a mix of RAID + some version of cloud backup is a good idea but I don't know what's reliable and secure.

PS: I'll be using this system for both personal and home business needs, so it must be secure.
PPS: I'll probably be building this into a brand new desktop PC but I might also just get an external enclosure, whatever is best & cost efficient.

Pibee · Apr 28, 2014

I've have similar concerns and looked at a few potential solutions, none as yet put into motion. But as your considerations included "natural disaster" proofing I thought I'd add a solution in that line of thought that I came across a while back. It came from the folks I'll link bellow, and the fire/water protection obviously stuck in my mind as very appealing.

https://iosafe.com/

jnkweaver · Apr 28, 2014

IMO cloud is not the answer. The more people that touch your data the less secure it is.

How much data are we talking about? Are you backing up just the data or the whole program /harddrive.

For a little data I would suggest a raid drive, and external harddrive on site for backup, and a DVD or 2 in a safety deposit box. I would also suggest you on some cycle (monthly or so) attempt to restore the data on a blank drive to ensure your backup system works.

That covers most calamities. If you are worried about a tornado wiping out the whole town then make the bank the next town over.

terry4536 · Apr 28, 2014

Another option is to periodically copy the entire hard drive onto another hard drive. The hard drive could be stored offsite or in a safety deposit box.

We used to do much the same thing with tape and zip drives.

Guest · Apr 28, 2014

Pibee :

I actually just heard of this company a few hours ago so thanks for their link!

jnkweaver :

I would like to avoid cloud but it's free for the amount of stuff I consider critical data right now.

I currently only have around 1.5 TB of data across all sources and drives, but that number will grow quickly because of both personal and business needs. I have a lot of HD movies, and music, and I add to my collection regularly. I will also be creating lots of media soon (HD movies and high resolution art), so I need space for that.

I plan to combine all the data onto one or two big drives and I estimate I will need 3-4 TB which makes it 6-8 with RAID 1.

jnkweaver · Apr 28, 2014

Depending on how fast that data grows you may just need to pay for offsite storage. It would get cost and time prohibitive to use DVD or Blueray as a storage backup offsite. You could initially use extra harddrives offsite but I think that even that would get unworkable if your data is growing quickly.

Guest · Apr 28, 2014

jnkweaver :

I plan to just keep the most important data offsite since a lot of my other data can be either redownloaded (media files), or will be redownloadable from the websites I upload them too. The things I can't lose at any cost is word docs with important info and passwords, and any important warranty or legal stuff, so it's not a ton of data offsite.

Could you recommend any good places for offsite storage that is completely secure?

Pibee · Apr 28, 2014

KurtisL, welcome. Their products offer a lot of very appealing solutions beyond fire and water proof, including crush proof and data recovery. As I create a mountain of original content most days (images) it's all adds up to that feel better to know you've done as much as possible and going full on paranoid nothing prevents additional offsite cloud backup in addition just for convenience of access should the once in a lifetime disaster happen... been there felt that and it's no fun.

jnkweaver · Apr 28, 2014

For just docs and stuff that isn't alot of data. A DVD or two in a safety deposit box I believe is the safest and most secure.

Guest · Apr 28, 2014

jnkweaver :

Okay thanks! Is the RAID 1 a good idea for everything that is easily replaceable due to a drive failure or some other software/hardware fault?

jnkweaver · Apr 29, 2014

Yes. The Raid 1 is for a drive failure.
The backup harddrive (external) is for a computer failure that takes both drives
and the offsite is for the catastrophic failure.

If you pay for offsite storage that is accessible then you can probably skip the external harddrive backup.

Guest · Apr 29, 2014

jnkweaver :

What's the best method to use the external to backup everything because so far I've been using it as a big USB drive and copy/pasting my entire HDD's content into a folder with the date I backed it up.

Hawkeye22 · Apr 29, 2014

RAID is not a backup solution. RAID is for redundancy so that if a drive fails the system can continue to run normallly. RAID will not protect you from viruses or accidental file deletions.

jnkweaver · Apr 29, 2014

When you are referring to a backup there are 2 schools of thought.
1. Thinks about disk imaging as a backup. This has the programs and the data. I did this as a network administrator to make it easier to recover the server if it takes a dump.
2. Replicating the data. The assumption is you can rebuild the programs you have to an operating state. It may take some time to get a new OS installed and the programs and patches all installed but then you take out your "backup" and put the data back in.

#1 takes up the most space but allows for a quick recovery time. It is the more expensive solution since more space equates to more drives/tapes etc bought. It is used for those situations where the down time is costing you more than the backup cost is.

#2 is used more frequently when the down time is not costing you money. That is most small business and I would say virtually all home users.

There are programs that will duplicate data on a recurring basis to the drive/network drive or even offsite drive of your choice. You can set them up to backup your data on a periodic basis (daily etc) or even when a change is made. I would say it is important to check that data occasionally to insure your backups are complete.

I have been out of this field for a while so I wouldn't really know which program to suggest. I know some people have a server running and use MS Server backup solution to backup their home network files. That would include having a separate computer as the server. I use a small program Karen's Replicator to replicate a few files across my network (keep the backup on different computers). That is not likely to be the solution you would use. My backups are DVDs stored in a file cabinet on site. I presently have no offsite backup.

jnkweaver · Apr 29, 2014

Hawkeye22 :

That is all on how you look at it. If you have all your files on one disk and it fails and is unrecoverable, a RAID is a backup in that situation. I don't say it is the only or the best way to backup the data but it is still a backup. It only truly covers one situation (drive failure) and is the most risk prone to loss (file deletions and viruses like you listed)

Hawkeye22 · Apr 29, 2014

jnkweaver :

If you have all your files on one disk and it fails then you deserve to lose everything, a life lesson. ALL drives will eventually fail. It's a fact. One of the most common questions in our storage area is "how do I get my data back?". If you have to ask this question, it's usually too late. If your data is important to you, a backup is a necessity.

Guest · May 5, 2014

Hawkeye22 :

What would you suggest then for a backup besides RAID1? I just need something that isn't expensive, and doesn't require a lot of hassle. I don't mind needing to re-install programs and the OS, I mind losing important word docs and photos though.

terry4536 · May 6, 2014

Why not just schedule a backup in Windows to an external drive (DVD/BLUE-RAY or a thumb drive for example). Then archive the discs somewhere offsite. It is convenient and inexpensive.

Hawkeye22 · May 6, 2014

An external drive or DVD backup is good in these situations as long as you disconnect the external drive when it's not in use. A DVD-R is write once, so no need to worry about deleted or infected files, unless of course they are infected before you back them up.

A backup in conjuction with RAID can be a powerful tool since you are now protected against drive failure and deletions and infections.

terry4536 · Nov 20, 2014

My problem with cloud based storage is security. There have been many recent examples where these type of storage have been hacked. For example the disclosure of private files of many famous actresses a few months back (9-1-14). Those were all (or for the most part) attributed to hacked cloud storage. And from what I've read and seen on the news, the major cloud storage services are far from secure. It isn't just a factor of having secure passwords. For example, Apple I-cloud servers were hacked and apparently millions of files were stolen. I have attached several articles discussing this topic.

Are You Sure That Your Cloud Storage Data Is Safe?
http://wordscanspeak.com/cloud-computing-technology/are-you-sure-that-your-cloud-storage-data-is-safe/

What Jennifer Lawrence taught us about cloud storage
http://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/personal/2014/09/02/14954941/

http://www.cio-today.com/article/index.php?story_id=033002XXFJHR

Best Data Backup Methods in 2014?

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