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[OT] Removal disks for backups



Hello all,

I'm currently backing up my workstation data to a spare internal
disk.  This is nice because a few cron tar scripts do the job
every night without my intervention.  A spare IDE disk is very
cheap, and I don't keep the partitions mounted so nothing happens
to them.  The downside is that I have no offsite backup (should a
fire arise or something like that).

I'm therefore thinking of buying a removal disk for offsite
backups.  My current backup needs are 1.9GB after full
compression, although this will likely grow (doesn't it always).
I have a PD drive but 650 MB is too limiting (splitting the
directories so the compressed tar file fits; not forgetting to
switch disk every night).

I am considering getting a Castlewood Systems (http://www.castlewood.com/)
ORB 2.2 GB external SCSI drive.  See a review at
http://www8.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,408937,00.html

It's pretty cheap (US$230 and US$35 for extra disks) and seems
very fast (11ms read/ write 12ms; 12.2 MB/sec max sustained
transfer rate?  Heck I don't get that from my Barracuda!)

Ideally, a 4GB cartridge would be better, but I suppose when my
needs outgrow 2.2 GB compressed I can swap disks on some night
before I leave work.

Any comments about this device?  Anything better on the market?

Thanks,
-- 
Peter Galbraith, research scientist          <GalbraithP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>
Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
P.O. Box 1000, Mont-Joli Qc, G5H 3Z4 Canada. 418-775-0852 FAX: 775-0546
    6623'rd GNU/Linux user at the Counter - http://counter.li.org/ 


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