Backing up your files.....

[Absolution_Films]

Hi Guys,

I have a 1TB external Hard drive which i put all my files on.... with the more work im getting, the more full its getting and i am looking into getting another Hard Drive, however i recently watched a video with a professional editor explaining his editing set up.

He mentioned that having a RAID system was essential for any editor.... i only know a little about how RAID works.... so my question is... is it worth paying the extra for a RAID system or shall i just stick with getting a new 2TB external Hard Drive? I have heard RAID is more reliable?

 

[Ewan]

Have you considered storing your data in the cloud?

 

[Absolution_Films]

how reliable is cloud storage?

 

[Ewan]

More reliable than physical storage in my opinion if you have the right host for it. Most companies are now using cloud storage for their data backup.

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

RAID (There are a variety of flavors of RAID) is a technology where you use an array of redundant hard drives. You have a bank of for example 3 hard drives, but if you looked on your computer you would only see 2 drive letters. That's because the RAID array is duplicating the information across multiple drives. You do this because no single hard drive failure will result in the loss of any information. This isn't a "Backup" technology which is a whole other subject. It's a way that you could be editing a piece, have a hard drive crap out, and not lose any work, even if your last full backup was yesterday.

 

[John@Bophe]

There are many ways to set up RAID. Most are no more reliable than a backup drive. It ultimately depends on what your end-goal is. If you just want a backup of your files in case of drive failure, then a second back up drive (non-RAID) is perfectly fine, easier, and cheaper. Disconnect the drive after you save the backups, and then it becomes safer as well. What if a lightning surge fries your entire RAID System and all drives in it - then everything is lost. A disconnected drive in storage should still be safe from that damage. Now, RAID does have benefits, like somewhat faster file reads, but I would not recommend it simply as a backup solution.

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

Yes, RAID is not a backup solution, it's a "high availability", and as you noted, potentially speed solution.

"Backup" is redundant physical media taken off site to another location. That external hard drive does you no good if your house burns down and burns it and the primary drive both up.

 

[WalterB]

Have you considered storing your data in the cloud?

First thing to check is your bandwidth.
You don't want to spend days to upload to a cloud.

I for sure am not using the cloud: I don't feel like backing up 16 to 80 GB on internet after a day of shooting.

I lost count: I guess I have around 10 TB of data.
I use RAID to edit more complex projects or projects with 'heavy' files that are over 35Mb/s.

 

[knightly]

For long term storage, you should have 3 copies of all your files that you're recopying every 6 months or so as over time, the magnetic storage can die off... I still don't trust "Cloud" storage (read: someone else's server that you don't have any physical access to -- so if the company goes under, you're screwed). Cloud storage is also a better solution for smaller files rather than video which tends toward the largish.

Rotating storage is important so you don't set the drive on a shelf and find out that everything you have done on a project is lost (one of the reasons I was so long to agree to move away from tape as a long term storage medium)... data retention is something that was part of my job responsibility for 10 years... the cloud is not a great solution, it's just one that everyone is using -- i.e. corporate buzzword that the bean counters glom onto and push money into because it means less internal expense and offset blame if something bad happens.