Re: Labeling backup DVD+RW's
On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 05:22:47PM EST, Mike McCarty wrote:
> Richard Hector wrote:
[...]
> >That's obviously true in an ideal sense. But even the local external
> >disk (or even internal disk) is vastly superior to having none at all
> >...
>
> It's just true in all senses.
>
> I don't disagree that having a second copy is better than none.
> However, using a second copy directly connected to the main machine on
> the same site does not satisfy my definition of "backup".
>
> As in all things, everyone has his own criteria. Also, there is always
> the trade off between security and cost. However, my minimal criteria
> are
>
> (1) Off site storage; if my house burns down, then my data are still
> safe (my backup is 13 miles from my house, so an atom bomb will
> probably destroy all copies)
.. and yourself as well .. should you survive .. you would probably have
other worries.
:-)
> (2) Non volatile storage
>
> (3) At least three copies rotated
>
> (4) Verified (once) by rebuilding the system from scratch using wiped
> hardware.
A nice safe way to test your full backup is when you decide to upgrade
your HDD. Much more likely to evidence any data loss problems than
restoring blindly to a sacrificial machine .. and you only need to
switch HDD's to be back where you were.
Conversely, the necessity of having to test your backup is a rather good
excuse--if youre on a budget & you need one.. to acquire that much
bigger, faster, etc. piece of hardware that you fancy.
> Any alternate storage scheme has to be evaluated based on one's
> own criteria. I'm merely trying to get people to think about
> what their criteria really are. If a lightning strike wiping
> out all copies of your data is acceptable to you, then I'm not
> going to argue or criticize.
>
> For me, monthly backup to DVDs with weekly incrementals to CDs
> with off site storage works, and is cheap both in time and
> money. I keep the most recent copy on my hard drive (in case
> of accidental erasure) as well as off site.
That's pretty much my setup .. an online version so I can restore a lost
file on a Sunday morning without having to wait till my bank opens on
Monday .. and a crate of DVD's in my safe so I still have something if I
get frustrated to the point of taking a sledgehammer to my computer and
peripherals.
> Which reminds me, it's time for my monthly :-)
Aaah .. now, _that's_ not good .. your backups should be automated and
so you don't have to have to have something _remind_ you it's time for
your monthly.
What if you had not read Mr. Hector's post above?
Thanks,
CJ
Reply to: