Best way to physically store multiple drives?

[Red Squirrel]

My new backup solution uses standard internal drives which I rotate around about once a day. They go in a docking station to perform the backup, then when I get an email, I turn it off and pull the drive out, and repeat the next day with another drive.

I only have 3 drives now, but plan to add more as I can afford it or my needs grow.

Right now I'm just storing them in a drawer, but I'm wondering if there is a better way to store them. Would be nice if I could actually store them in a way where the back of the drive faces out, as that's where I put the label. I'm thinking some kind of wood or metal casing with slots in it. Is there actually something I can buy?

If I build, is wood an ok material to use? AFAIK it's not really a material that can carry a static charge very well, especially if I paint it. If there's some kind of "furniture" I can buy premade for this purpose then that would be better.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

How about somewhere they won't get stolen or where they won't get damaged/destroyed by a natural disaster? Other than that, anywhere you want, really. Why not put them in a NAS box or something, and then just backup to each drive over the network?

 

[Emulex]

caselogic makes some nice cases. i'd stick it in some anti-static bag with some silica gel for good measure.

 

[Red Squirrel]

How about somewhere they won't get stolen or where they won't get damaged/destroyed by a natural disaster? Other than that, anywhere you want, really. Why not put them in a NAS box or something, and then just backup to each drive over the network?

Actually it's funny you mention that, since I've had thoughts of turning the crawlspace under my garage into a vault. It's all concrete/brick. A steel vault door, and good luck getting in there without dynamite or big hammer drills! WAY overkill though but since I'm not doing anything in there anyway...

Though think I will probably get one of those small safes. I'm more wondering about a way to keep them seperated, so they're not just all piled and can fall over. I used to have this seagate that had a metal plate over the circuit board. I wish those plates could be bought somewhere. If I could protect that circuit board I would not have to worry as much. I've been told you can drop a hard drive on the ground and it probably wont fail. When the head is parked it's quite solid. The circuit board is the weak spot.

The silica gel is a good idea too, I could put some in the safe.

 

[Tsavo]

Actually it's funny you mention that, since I've had thoughts of turning the crawlspace under my garage into a vault. It's all concrete/brick. A steel vault door, and good luck getting in there without dynamite or big hammer drills! WAY overkill though but since I'm not doing anything in there anyway...

Though think I will probably get one of those small safes. I'm more wondering about a way to keep them seperated, so they're not just all piled and can fall over. I used to have this seagate that had a metal plate over the circuit board. I wish those plates could be bought somewhere. If I could protect that circuit board I would not have to worry as much. I've been told you can drop a hard drive on the ground and it probably wont fail. When the head is parked it's quite solid. The circuit board is the weak spot.

The silica gel is a good idea too, I could put some in the safe.

The first 7200 RPM drive, IIRC, 9GB.

I still have mine, and it still works. The shield was a neat idea...only drive I've ever seen with it.

 

[Ig]

Paper Storage Box
Single HDD Storage Case
Single HDD Storage Case
Pelican HDD Storage Cases

I've got 2 of the brando cardboard boxes. Works well enough for me. You can store the drives bare or in an esd bag. Previous I had all these drives just sitting on my desk or shelf over the years.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The first 7200 RPM drive, IIRC, 9GB.

I still have mine, and it still works. The shield was a neat idea...only drive I've ever seen with it.

Think mine was a 60GB. Was my first self built computer. That drive has gone to my parents, and now to my sister, and it still runs!

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

If you can find them, either the styrofoam coffins that ZZF ships drives in or Seagate's Seashells. Those + ESD bags and dessicant is how I've kept my offline drives over the last decade.