[Gllug] Terrible weekend
Bernard Peek
bap at shrdlu.com
Sun Mar 5 14:11:44 UTC 2006
In message <1141564902.9932.32.camel at localhost.localdomain>, Adrian
McMenamin <adrian at mcmen.demon.co.uk> writes
>Of course, I had no backup (this just me at home). Rather than have you
>all lecture me how this is all my own fault, what is the best option for
>a cheap backup system? I am attracted by the idea of using NAS and half
>a terrabyte of disks, just syncing in the small hours of the morning. I
>know that won't ptotect me against lightening strikes and the like, but
>in the balance between affordability and resilience I'll live with that.
>
>Anything else?
I've been managing computers for 20 years and in that time I've only
ever had to restore files for one reason, someone deleted a file that
they shouldn't have.
Backup to a hard disk will be OK for 99% of any problems you are likely
to face. It doesn't protect against fire or Burglar Bill.
You need to think about two things. One is the total volume of data and
the second is the rate at which you collect new data. If most of your
data is archived video files then copying them to DVD and keeping the
backup off site is a good idea. Copy the whole archive to a 400gb disk,
unplug it and keep that off site. Make a new archive DVD every time you
add another few GB. Make a new hard disk archive once a month or so.
For low-volume data like word-processor files get into the habit of
backing them up every time you walk away from the PC. Better still use a
Cron job to archive them every hour or two and keep several generations
of files in a grandfather-father-son system. Mirroring is not an optimum
solution, because when you delete the file the mirror goes too. You need
a solution that keeps the mirror copy long enough for you to discover
the mistake and be able to fix it. If there are important files that you
only use once a week then the mirror has to hold deleted files for at
least one week.
--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author.
--
Gllug mailing list - Gllug at gllug.org.uk
http://lists.gllug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/gllug
More information about the GLLUG
mailing list