A backup system is imperative for our workflow. I've been fairly conscientious about backing up since I started shooting -- but now I'm even more terrified of losing pics. So I'd like to know how everyone else backs stuff up. I want to improve my system. I'm very, very tempted to buy a fireproof safe.

I'll go first:
1) Weddings i'm working on go on my laptop harddrive
2) I backup to my external harddrive
3) I burn at least 1 DVD backup as well.

Once I'm done, I'll transfer the photos over to the external harddrive, and burn a DVD backup of the JPEGs.

I'm looking into storing an extra DVD backup in our storage unit -- but the hours are, conveniently, 8 to 5 -- when I'm at work. So a daily trip is next to impossible. I'm thinking I could run over there at least once a week. That does leave the possibility of our place accidentally burning down and losing all my stuff that I've done DURING the week -- but it would at least help out a bit. I've only shot one wedding so far and the couple already has the images, but I want to improve my backup system for the next two weddings.

I was planning to post a similar thread!

I have a daily backup that takes place onto a USB drive. I then disconnect the USB drive when it's done. I also make a DVD copy of the originals and take them off site. When I'm done with a client, I remove the files from my working drive and place them on a hard drive that is only used for archiving files and I put it in storage. I then update the off site DVDs with the rest of the completed files.

I’m still thinking my way through this; it will be interesting to hear what others are doing. I'm very interested in a NAS drive array -- if anyone has any suggestions on that it would be helpful!

I keep all of my data on my desktop hard drive (right around 3TB of storage). I also keep a backup of *all* of this data on external hard drives.

I back up to the external drives after offloading onto the computer, and after every couple days of processing work I do on the photos. Just to be paranoid, I dont format my CF cards until I need them next (usually about a week later).

I have found the internal (primary) and external (backup) hard drive system extremely reliable and have not resorted to DVDs as a primary backup. Because of the amount of RAW data I generate from a wedding, I dont find DVDs practical for RAWs. It would be a very good idea for the final JPEGs thoughs.

Interesting to see two different ways of doing this. I'm leaning toward Lucky_dog's version -- I'm planning to get another external harddrive on Jan 1 or so, and then backup my current harddrive onto one, and use one JUST for work I've completed. Then I want to have two sets of DVDs -- one offsite and one onsite.

I had one external harddrive fail on me this year. Thankfully all the work was also on DVDs or my computer's harddrive, so I didn't lose anything. But I really don't want to have to go through that again. It failed within a few days of purchasing it...

-Backup RAWs on DVD
-Time Machine automatically backs everything up to external drives
-Final Jpgs uploaded to Zenfolio

I'm not overly obsessive about my backups, though I think some people are.

Yeah, USB drives make me nervous..... I've heard a lot of bad stories. You can always take the drive out of the case, but that's a PITA.

Tony Hoffer wrote:
-Backup RAWs on DVD
-Time Machine automatically backs everything up to external drives
-Final Jpgs uploaded to Zenfolio

I'm not overly obsessive about my backups, though I think some people are.

Dang -- forgot about my timemachine thing. Yeah, that automatically backs my stuff up as well.

I got more obsessive when my drive died and then my computer died. I have yet to lose anything, though, because I always have at least one extra backup...

We have two separate portable RAID mirrors (these are firewire 800 and can be daisy chained as we need more space). We keep them at separate locations except for periodically syncing them. Our laptops have a working copy until we're finished fulfilling the wedding's prints and such.

Aperture - works like a charm. Fast, mindless and reliable.

Ryan Britton wrote:
We have two separate portable RAID mirrors (these are firewire 800 and can be daisy chained as we need more space). We keep them at separate locations except for periodically syncing them. Our laptops have a working copy until we're finished fulfilling the wedding's prints and such.

Can you provide more info about your RAID arrays? I've been looking for one... so far I'm not impressed with "home" versions -- and business intended units are quite expensive.

Deb--

Our business is primarily divided between schools/rec leagues and weddings. The former has a "current" status of about 60 days. The latter has a "current" status of 120 days. After such time, all are removed from our systems.

We used to backup to a laptop on weddings, but with cards so cheep, I've found it safer and easier just to keep them on cards until we get to the office. From there---

-- files goes on an external drive, then burned on DVD.
-- after processing, JPGs [which go to our lab] and photo web galleries get burned to another DVD [of all the stuff we regularly go to from back up info, it is the galleries by far].
-- DVDs are stored off site on a weekly basis.

I've found our system works faster and more efficient with programs on 1 drive and images another. Though I'll admit having all images on our system may seem like great thing, many files simply are not needed after 60 or 120 days. If they are, they certainly aren't needed on an emergency basis.

I agree with Tony, some people can get a bit carried away with the back-up stuff. At this point, a DVD copy off site is the most efficient with respect to time/cost/convenience.

>rw

Anyone use a DROBO? I've been thinking about getting one soon.

At this point my Genie-Soft software backups my system nightly to an external Hard Drive, and all Client files get transferred to an individual DVD that gets stored offsite.

coffee-black wrote: At this point, a DVD copy off site is the most efficient with respect to time/cost/convenience.



Those DVD's work really well if you plan on only needing the backup for one or two days.

A non-mac guy here, so I don't have fancy pants features like time machine.

- Backup on main computer HD
- Backup on 3 external HD's
- DVD of all images

For weddings, I try to keep the originals on the CF for as long as possible. I just have a few cards that I keep clean for everything else. The wedding ones usually don't get disturbed until I start to export some images.

I'm thinking of making a descent RAID system (although I don't really need it) to speed the process up a bit. I may do Tony's zenfolio thing as well, just so I have something online... you know, if my house just decides to burn down or something.

RedWhiteandRed wrote:
coffee-black wrote: At this point, a DVD copy off site is the most efficient with respect to time/cost/convenience.



Those DVD's work really well if you plan on only needing the backup for one or two days.

Why would you need a back up any longer? If you mistakenly delete a file, or your client needs prints, or you want to use some for your web-site, you simply reload them on your system. On our next trip back to our storage facility, we bring the disk back. Our back-up copies are not additional or supplemental working drives.

>rw

First, not to scare anyone but CD/DVD backups are not really the way to go. Unlike professionally produced copies they unforunately have a shelf life once they are burned on a computer drive. It varies widely based upon the manufacturer of the media and storage conditions but, you can begin to have data read failures in as little as a year and typically after 3-5 they are not reliable. OK now that I scared you let me discuss our procedures good or bad. All of our primary files are on the servers in the office on a raid disk array. Those are backed up to a set of portable firewire drives once a week and those are put in a fireproof box at the house. We also use an internet data vault service where we backup everything online. This is done automatically in off hours using a set of "net change" software provided by the data vault company which uploads any file which is new or changed. So we have triple backup. Overkill for a startup but it provides you with the options. The online backup companies (the big ones) are totally safe and secure and it is an easy and fast way to have a copy of your files. They can be had at very economical cost also.

Please don't depend on dvd's, there is a heartache waiting to happen. The ones produced in a factory are permanent, yours are temporary. We advise all our clients that we provide a dvd that they should place a copy on a hard drive as soon as possible.

coffee-black wrote:
RedWhiteandRed wrote:
coffee-black wrote: At this point, a DVD copy off site is the most efficient with respect to time/cost/convenience.



Those DVD's work really well if you plan on only needing the backup for one or two days.

Why would you need a back up any longer? If you mistakenly delete a file, or your client needs prints, or you want to use some for your web-site, you simply reload them on your system.

Sure - OK. (tongue firmly in cheek) DVD's are absolutely not reliable at all. Not in the least. If you need the file you are almost begging for a bout of anxiety and stress.

Professionals do not trust DVD's with important data.

davenfl wrote:
First, not to scare anyone but CD/DVD backups are not really the way to go. Unlike professionally produced copies they unforunately have a shelf life once they are burned on a computer drive. It varies widely based upon the manufacturer of the media and storage conditions but, you can begin to have data read failures in as little as a year and typically after 3-5 they are not reliable. OK now that I scared you let me discuss our procedures good or bad. All of our primary files are on the servers in the office on a raid disk array. Those are backed up to a set of portable firewire drives once a week and those are put in a fireproof box at the house. We also use an internet data vault service where we backup everything online. This is done automatically in off hours using a set of "net change" software provided by the data vault company which uploads any file which is new or changed. So we have triple backup. Overkill for a startup but it provides you with the options. The online backup companies (the big ones) are totally safe and secure and it is an easy and fast way to have a copy of your files. They can be had at very economical cost also.

Please don't depend on dvd's, there is a heartache waiting to happen. The ones produced in a factory are permanent, yours are temporary. We advise all our clients that we provide a dvd that they should place a copy on a hard drive as soon as possible.

Although I don't discount what you write, I will say that I do have DVDs and CD which are more than 4 years old and read fine. The only ones with issue are those not 'finalized.' Additionally, though I do not doubt the security if off-site back ups, I will say that over the years, my web-host provider has had more file issues than my DVD/CD system.

As you write, a tiered system is the way to go. But, we have accepted a few facts to keep our sanity here...

1- we will loose files somewhere along the line regardless of what we do
2- a computer/hard drive will crash at some point regardless of what we do
3- we will delete a file by mistake

But, the biggest thing we've accepted is that our responsibility is to produce prints and images for our clients. WE DO NOT PROVIDE ARCHIVAL SERVICE. I think too many in the photo business believe they do.

We simply need a good working archive systems for images to be stored up to a year, possibly 2.

>rw

Interesting commentary on using DVDs. I've been burning files to DVDs for years and have never encountered the first problem. Perhaps I've been lucky, but I'll certainly look at taking a different approach from now on.

RedWhiteandRed wrote:


Professionals do not trust DVD's with important data.

Respectfully, I don't know you so I won't take offense to this statement. But, it is a blanket statement that reflects an arrogant opinion which is stated as fact.

>rw

information here

I'm sure that this has already been said but a friend purchased a RAID NAS (network-attached storage) device so that all images were available to any machine on the network, and the drives are mirrored for realiability.

It doesn't protect you against fire or theft (for which you'll still need some kind of off-site solution) but this was the best response I've heard to having safe on-site backups of working files.

Jeff

Lucky_Dog wrote:
Ryan Britton wrote:
We have two separate portable RAID mirrors (these are firewire 800 and can be daisy chained as we need more space). We keep them at separate locations except for periodically syncing them. Our laptops have a working copy until we're finished fulfilling the wedding's prints and such.

Can you provide more info about your RAID arrays? I've been looking for one... so far I'm not impressed with "home" versions -- and business intended units are quite expensive.


We have these: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=410

They're 1 TB each when configured as a mirror. All of the RAID is handled internally and there are no extra bells and whistles you don't need. It's _just_ a hard drive enclosure with RAID. Best thing is it's just a standard file system too. Nothing proprietary.

Okay, I read enough articles to know now that DVD is a mistake in the making. Now what? The only safe medium is a hard drive? That's okay, they're cheap, but what other methods are there to safely archive data? Can I get a professionally burned DVD made?

RedWhiteandRed wrote:
information here

I think we are on two different topics. I believe the OP was about "back up" systems. It was not about Archiving. The two, though not mutually exclusive, are not the same either.

My business is photography, we are not archivists. If it were, I would agree, DVDs are not the answer.

>rw