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Archive 2016 · What are you guys using for external drives?

  
 
PhotoDH
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I've been using a G-Drive and WD MyBook to back everything up and I've been editing off my G-Drive. I'm thinking to also get an online drive for more security. What are your setups?

Mainly asking because one of my drives just stopped working super bummed

thanks in advance!



May 11, 2016 at 07:10 PM
glort
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · What are you guys using for external drives?



I back everything up on Desktop SATA drives now.
I have an external enclosure I plug into without the enclosure to back onto.

I have had a couple of those portable drives fall over in short order as have my kids so I don't trust them one bit. they are great for convenience but not to rely on for important work.

I look at it this way, If I lost everything on that SATA 3.5" drive, would I pay $100 to get it back? I'd have to pay more if I wanted it so I save myself the stress and grief and just by a new drive as needed and do it preemptively.

The real important stuff, Family photos, is on the computer, in a drive in the safe and there is another at my fathers place.

To me some things are priceless so cost of keeping them is insignificant. Important stuff is automatically justified so $100 to put it on a drive I can put away and know it's safe, is more than worth the cost.



May 11, 2016 at 07:58 PM
Greggbhill
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · What are you guys using for external drives?


My workflow is:
- offload chip(s) to SSD-1
Run batch command to:
- copy from SSD-1 to m.2 SSD NVMe for culling/editing
- copy from SSD-1 to SSD-2, SATA-1, SATA-2 (internal) for backup
- copy from SSD-1 to external eSATA for backup
- copy from SSD-1 to USB 3.0 flash drive for backup (goes to my office next trip in)
- copy from SSD-1 to NAS drive for backup
CrashPlan kicks in and backs up 2 of the SSD drives (cloud)
Place chip(s) in protective case and put in car glove box (mobile off-site when not in garage)

Ok, call me paranoid but I'm a software developer and can't count how many times over last 20 years drives fail, and a few times multiple failures at same time.

The thought of losing a wedding set used to stress me out



May 11, 2016 at 09:46 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · What are you guys using for external drives?


Thunderbolt 2 Raid 1
Thunderbolt Portable Raid 0 backs up the Raid 1 every night
Finished projects go to BluRay, Pixieset, and AmazonCloud



May 11, 2016 at 10:47 PM
form
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I had bad experiences with early portable drives, so I never use them for photo storage. I plug in a pair of internal 1tb WD blue EZEX hard drives every...6-10 weddings or so. They don't tend to get used for very long (well under a year most times), so the drives have minimal wear, and both drives end up having a copy of the completed photos. I can store the drives in different places if desired.

It's probably not cost-effective or physically compact, but it seems reliable enough to me.

Haven't done RAID. Not sure if I want/need to.



May 12, 2016 at 12:55 AM
Adam73
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I use a Lacie drive bay:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1075810&gclid=Cj0KEQjw09C5BRDy972s6q2y4egBEiQA5_guvx3hA19QEv0knPsByzjENwIgGBbgyWZ6kGnYrL652jcaAiKM8P8HAQ&Q=&ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876%2C92051678642%2C&is=REG&A=details



May 12, 2016 at 04:33 PM
IrishDino
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · What are you guys using for external drives?


WD My Book 5TB x2

Smart Previews on a Samsung Evo external SSD



May 12, 2016 at 04:35 PM
johnrg
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I have a Synology Disk Station that I really like. It holds 4 hard drives and uses their hybrid RAID. It's a great machine and I've been very happy with it.


May 12, 2016 at 06:27 PM
hardlyboring
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · What are you guys using for external drives?


G Drive via Thunderbolt.
I have a 2 bay G dock and switch the drives in and out as necessary.
I just make manual copies of everything because I don't shoot an insane amount like some people do.
I also have all our stuff on Zenfolio so with full size jpegs there that serves as our 3rd back up.




May 12, 2016 at 08:34 PM
MiamiWeddingPH
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I use a couple samsung 850 EVO SSD internal drives but externally with SATA cables hooked to my macbook pro. They are super fast and efficient for transferring entire weddings in a matter of seconds. I can't live without them.


May 12, 2016 at 09:38 PM
taran
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · What are you guys using for external drives?


Got a 16TB array from OWC, thunderbay, effective 12TB Raid 1(?). Seagate drives, all the same, the low power 4TB ones. I expect its up for 3 years straight now.


May 13, 2016 at 02:51 PM
MRomine
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · What are you guys using for external drives?


taran wrote:
Got a 16TB array from OWC, thunderbay, effective 12TB Raid 1(?). .


+1 on the TB 2 OWC cases. Great price, quite boxes.



May 13, 2016 at 03:30 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · What are you guys using for external drives?


2x WD elements for backup. Plugged in when needed.
Completed images will be transferred there plus to proofing site.

I also create catalogs for each client... these will be back up as well.

-Mark



May 14, 2016 at 09:49 AM
tonyhart
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · What are you guys using for external drives?


For my connected archive, I use a Drobo USB3. Second Drobo I've owned and I've always been pleased. Recognise that there are people who have been less than happy. Drive selection is usually linked to checking out BackBlaze's articles on HDD reliability.

For my backups, I use bare internal drives which are connected via a docking station. There's an A and B copy and these are stored in anti-static bags in a Pelican that is taken off site.

Alongside that I am running Crashplan and Time Machine for added peace of mind.



May 14, 2016 at 06:18 PM
teacher386
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · What are you guys using for external drives?


ThunderBay 4 Thunderbolt 2 w/ 4 3 TB WD Red Drives. Absolutely love it and the blazing fast speeds.


May 15, 2016 at 11:14 AM
leethecam
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · What are you guys using for external drives?


G-Speed Raid drives - one each for RAWs and for final PSD / TIFFs.

Backed up to more basic drives (again RAW drive and PSD drive) twice, on a set of LaCie and a set of G Tech drives.

Capture One and LR libraries backed up to second / third drives.

I use SuperDuper which deletes / copies files to maintain an exact copy, even when I've modified a single image buried within sets of folders.



May 15, 2016 at 12:19 PM
Steve Tinetti
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I've been burned by RAID. Maybe it's better these days, but I'm not taking chances. Now I use an 8-bay USB3 tower by Sans Digital set to JBOD. Each drive has it's own drive letter. G, H, I, J, L, M, N, O. Drive G backs up to Drive H. Drive I backs up to Drive J, and so on.

Drives G-H Main working
Drives I-J Archive
Drives L-M Lightroom Catalogs
Drives N-O Personal

Backups are not automatic. I set a reminder to manually backup my drives every few days or whenever anything is added. I use SyncBack SE and set it to "mirror". It runs a scan and I manually verify drive letters and files copied/deleted before running.



May 15, 2016 at 12:34 PM
flash
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · What are you guys using for external drives?


I have a Pegasus M2 set to raid 5 as my working images drive. My catalogue is on a Samsung T1 SSD so I can easily move between desktop and laptop. My catalogue backups are to the Pegasus so if I lose the T1 I'm OK.

Work backups are done nightly to a 3TB USB3 drive that I rotate weekly with an offsite backup. Personal backups are to three drives (one off site) with favourites printed. Working memory cards are formatted after the job is delivered.

Gordon



May 15, 2016 at 03:48 PM





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