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The absolute best way to back up data?

4

4fingerwu1

Senior member
I have some information that I absolutely cannot afford to lose -
Making a monthly backup is not an option I really need something that automatically will back up the data -
Now if I have a RAID array is my data safe as long as the hard drives dont fail simultaneously?
Thanks
Rico
 
A RAID array is to protect against data loss due to hardware failure. If you want to protect against viruses, or malicious users, you need some sort of backup that you can completely disconnect from the computer... or somehow isolate it from the computer so that changes made to the computer have no way of effecting the device your backup is stored on. The best way to do that in my opinion is a tape drive... but I don't know if they make tape drives big enough to backup an 80 or 100 GB hard drive.
I don't know what else you could use to protect against both hardware failure and viruses... maybe someone else can make some suggestions.
 
cheaper than a tape drive would be an external USB2 hard drive (do nightly backups). RAID is good (except RAID 0, but the joke there should be obvious), but if, say, lightning zaps it...it's gone. If it *must* be backed up, go for an external HD or DVD backup (or tape). If it's on a good surge protector and/or UPS, then just go RAID 1.
 
Saving it online somewhere on a machine physically located at a different location is probably a pretty reliable way to backup your data...
 
RAID doesn't mean it is more safe. You didn't specify which raid mode. If it is 0, then failure chances are 2x single drive. Best thing IMO is having old hard drive and make ghost image and put it on it.
 
There are some pretty serious tape drives here if you need high-capacity backup. If that's more capacity than you really need, then consider some of the lower-capacity Seagates as one possibility. And if you truly can't afford to lose the data, make sure to store a tape off-site every week in case of disaster.
 
Interesting thoughts thanks to all
I am thinking RAID 1 as I do have good power protection -
I dont know the risk of a virus destroying data
I acually never thought of that
 
Raid 1 is good enough. They're mirrored drives, so all the drives in your Raid 1 array will have the same data on it. As long as all your drives don't fail at once, you'll always have a copy of the data.
 
Depends on your application. Some of my smaller documents I upload to some distant server. Some files that rarely change I backup onto cds. I'm just about to get an usb hdd to backup some other files.
 
RAID 1 is not fool proof...say you get a destructive Virus and it RAID's over to the other HD?

Most secure and full proff way IMO is to keep more then 1 exact copy (ie. Disk, seperate HD/machine, online), not images or compressed data, and rotate them so if something happens you can go back 1 even 2 in history...plus test it after each copy
 
Fred Langa at www.langa.com has written extensively about backups. Do a "backup" search for past articles at his site. Set aside a couple of hours to do this, he has written a lot on this topic. Fred also has a detailed explanation on how he configures his backup procedures along with scripts he has wrote to automate the process at his backup page

Daily backups can be easily made using the free Replicator at Karen Kenworthy's site. Also check out the other free software she wrote.

I use Drive Image and a removable hard drive and keep my weekly backup off site. Ghost may be better if you plan to backup over a network. My nightly backups go on a second installed hdd, 40GB hdd's are going for $60 these days.
 
To be perdantic, and to answer the question directly, multiple replication on a closed network, with each PC/Server having Hot-Swap Redundant PSU's, Redundant RAID 5 Array's to back up each primary RAID 5 Array, and offsite manual backup through a closed link Secure Line.



But to be serious, and in your situation, depending on HOW important it really is...
1. Just a RAID 5 Array on a Hot-swap capable and re-buildable Array Controller.
2. Two RAID 5 Arrays (in RAID 1 format - [Mirrored]) on 2 Seperate Hot-swap re-buildable Array controllers, or 1 Very capable Controller.
3. Redundant Power Supplys to prevent any data loss at all.
4. UPS Backup, configured as needed to prevent data loss.
5. Seperate PC/Server use - ie. Replication across a network. (Depending on how secure it needs to be, a closed network).
6. Back-up (Secure connection or manual) to another site altogether.
 
Nothing is safe from data loss IMO its more about eliminating risk. My dad just lost two mirrored HDD in raid Array from his server to an unidentified problem, my guess being it was a virus (How it got through norton and a hardware firewall i have no idea), Luckily he backs up nightly so only a days worth of data was lost but it goes to prove my point that if you want a practical solution your putting yourself at risk. I would backup data to both a DVD or Seperate HDD and a Raid Array....remeber though, minimisation of risk not completely solving teh problem...
 
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