Heavy Data Back Up DVD or HDD

NOTORIOUS · 7th June 2010, 17:33

Hello Friends

From The last one week i am not able to decide to how to backup my 600 GB of data. i already have a 2 x 640 GB WD mirrored hard disks from past 1.5 years , but now one of the drive which i use regularly has developed bad blocks and other one is good as i power it on only once a month for backup of data.

Now i want to keep a copy of all my data away from my home , what do you suggest , should i buy another Hdd or Burn my Data on slow speed on Verbatim DVD's which i already ordered ????

The data is mainly my old pics and videos which i dont want to lose at any cost .

Waiting for your advise....

gopalnayak · 7th June 2010, 19:04

HDD anyday. For the amount of data you have, it will be a nightmare to maintain the DVDs. Why don't you consider some home Network Storage?

typeOnegative · 7th June 2010, 19:09

Did not see the option, but in my opinion it is 'both'. Segregate into - non-changing and changing data. The one that does not change can go into a DVD set. The one that keeps changing (files and folders) can be on the HDD. Do remember that an HDD can get stolen and that DVD's can get broken.

NOTORIOUS · 7th June 2010, 19:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopalnayak

HDD anyday. For the amount of data you have, it will be a nightmare to maintain the DVDs. Why don't you consider some home Network Storage?

90% of data is not update-able like my pics and movies of my childhood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by typeOnegative

Did not see the option, but in my opinion it is 'both'. Segregate into - non-changing and changing data. The one that does not change can go into a DVD set. The one that keeps changing (files and folders) can be on the HDD. Do remember that an HDD can get stolen and that DVD's can get broken.

I can take care of that , Thank you

blackasta · 8th June 2010, 00:50

With internal HDDs becoming super cheap - go for 4 1TB HDDs, and make mirrored sets in a striped set (RAID 1+0), and backup data.
Remember - RAID when used as primary disk does not categorize as a data backup - go for RAID only as your dedicated data backup server.

Thad E Ginathom · 8th June 2010, 02:11

Has to be both.

You should never rely on an electrical/mechanical device as your ultimate backup. never, never, never, never. All kinds of stuff can fail with a hard disk, and even that which is fixable is a hassle, and probably expensive, to get fixed.

Which reminds me to stop doing that very thing myself! If it was office stuff, I wouldn't countenance it for a moment, and RAID wouldn't change my mind either. Of course, at work, not only is the data of commercial value, but there may be legal responsibility to make sure it doesn't go missing, and somebody else was paying for expensive tape drives.

The HDD is so quick and easy to write to or copy from, and two copies is a whole heap better than just one, but it is not enough. Use the DVDs as well.

typeOnegative · 8th June 2010, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOTORIOUS

I can take care of that , Thank you

In spite of that, like Thad, I have suggested both.

Enclose each DVD in a case (not in an envelope).

NOTORIOUS · 8th June 2010, 11:49

Should i store my DVD's in a case (100 dvd's in one case) or in a spindle ??????

now i would make two copies of my whole data on Two Seprate Hdd's And one Set of DVD's . One question which is clicking in my mind is that What is the expected shell life of a good quality DVD like verbatim ????

rahulsingh007 · 8th June 2010, 12:02

@NOTORIOUS
I've hear that shelf life of a burned DVD is about 5-6 years , while pressed DVD (commercial DVD) last about 20 years.

Storing data on a DVD+/-r for long periods of time is uselss , get yourself a good HDD that ought to solve the problem

Thad E Ginathom · 8th June 2010, 20:55

You expect a HDD will outlive a DVD? It might... but I wouldn't bet on it, especially as HDDs become cheaper consumer items. Buying a few-hundred GB scsi disk for my servers in my work days (original IBM, of course) was a management budget decision: now we can all nip out any buy ourselves a terrabyte for home!

A very long-term archive/backup system would have to consider rewriting dvds. Actually, they may well last longer than the magnetic impulses on professional backup tapes.

One of the biggest hassles with writing to external backups, once it exceeds a single unit, is dividing the data up. Any suggestions for software to do this?

NOTORIOUS · 8th June 2010, 21:55

Ok , I would do this way , Will make one copy on DVD and Other On a HDD. Even After 5-6 years , i can always move to better technology for data archiving

muralisk · 8th June 2010, 22:07

HDD any day is safe and easy to maintain as well. They are even quite portable and gives you great flexibility to take with you. So, it is HDD.

sanjayc · 8th June 2010, 22:26

Why don't you look at storing the 600GB data on a portable HDD and then the most critical of these data on those cheapo 16/32 gb pen drives / sd cards which are avlbl dime-a-dozen at throwaway prices!

I have been keeping business-critical data on multiple 2.5/3.5 HDDs for close to 5 yrs now..no issue of drives failing. Care needs to be taken for storage in the dry/cool place and check the same once in a while.

DVDs/CDs are a strict no-no for me - apart from the pain in creating those, these are prone to fungus/dust. I have seen the covers peeling off even while being kept in pouches/cd covers.

Try also converting those massive videos into high-compression formats like MP4, which will take much less space and store them on iphone/ipods if you have one, thus giving you at least some respite if the originals go for a toss.

anku94 · 9th June 2010, 03:23

Although HDDs seem to be the ideal option with optical disks being more delicate and reduced capacity, but one thing I hate about using HDDs for backup that you paid for a device that can read/write data millions of times, and you're using it to save data only once. You paid for a feature major R&D goes into and you're not using it. Being the bania I am, it hurts. :P

ghpk · 9th June 2010, 03:32

use SSD if possible, although the price of them is currently too high, they should have the maximum shelf life.

Else make a few DVD's (8GB ones) and use an external HDD for another copy.

View Poll Results: What Kind Of Backup Medium You Suggest
Hard Disk Drive	28	96.55%
Verbatim DVD	1	3.45%
Voters: 29. You may not vote on this poll

7th June 2010, 17:33	#1
NOTORIOUS BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 808 Thanked: 124 Times View My Garage	Heavy Data Back Up DVD or HDD Hello Friends From The last one week i am not able to decide to how to backup my 600 GB of data. i already have a 2 x 640 GB WD mirrored hard disks from past 1.5 years , but now one of the drive which i use regularly has developed bad blocks and other one is good as i power it on only once a month for backup of data. Now i want to keep a copy of all my data away from my home , what do you suggest , should i buy another Hdd or Burn my Data on slow speed on Verbatim DVD's which i already ordered ???? The data is mainly my old pics and videos which i dont want to lose at any cost . Waiting for your advise....
	() Thanks

7th June 2010, 19:04	#2
gopalnayak BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 63 Thanked: 30 Times	HDD anyday. For the amount of data you have, it will be a nightmare to maintain the DVDs. Why don't you consider some home Network Storage?
	() Thanks

7th June 2010, 19:09	#3
typeOnegative Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Vikhroli, Mumbai, India Posts: 1,503 Thanked: 27 Times	Did not see the option, but in my opinion it is 'both'. Segregate into - non-changing and changing data. The one that does not change can go into a DVD set. The one that keeps changing (files and folders) can be on the HDD. Do remember that an HDD can get stolen and that DVD's can get broken.
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 00:50	#5
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,406 Thanked: 2,917 Times View My Garage	With internal HDDs becoming super cheap - go for 4 1TB HDDs, and make mirrored sets in a striped set (RAID 1+0), and backup data. Remember - RAID when used as primary disk does not categorize as a data backup - go for RAID only as your dedicated data backup server.
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 02:11	#6
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,004 Thanked: 26,434 Times	Has to be both. You should never rely on an electrical/mechanical device as your ultimate backup. never, never, never, never. All kinds of stuff can fail with a hard disk, and even that which is fixable is a hassle, and probably expensive, to get fixed. Which reminds me to stop doing that very thing myself! If it was office stuff, I wouldn't countenance it for a moment, and RAID wouldn't change my mind either. Of course, at work, not only is the data of commercial value, but there may be legal responsibility to make sure it doesn't go missing, and somebody else was paying for expensive tape drives. The HDD is so quick and easy to write to or copy from, and two copies is a whole heap better than just one, but it is not enough. Use the DVDs as well.
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 11:49	#8
NOTORIOUS BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 808 Thanked: 124 Times View My Garage	Should i store my DVD's in a case (100 dvd's in one case) or in a spindle ?????? now i would make two copies of my whole data on Two Seprate Hdd's And one Set of DVD's . One question which is clicking in my mind is that *What is the expected shell life of a good quality DVD* like verbatim ????
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 12:02	#9
rahulsingh007 BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Amritsar Posts: 164 Thanked: 44 Times	@NOTORIOUS I've hear that shelf life of a burned DVD is about 5-6 years , while pressed DVD (commercial DVD) last about 20 years. Storing data on a DVD+/-r for long periods of time is uselss , get yourself a good HDD that ought to solve the problem
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 20:55	#10
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,004 Thanked: 26,434 Times	You expect a HDD will outlive a DVD? It might... but I wouldn't bet on it, especially as HDDs become cheaper consumer items. Buying a few-hundred GB scsi disk for my servers in my work days (original IBM, of course) was a management budget decision: now we can all nip out any buy ourselves a terrabyte for home! A very long-term archive/backup system would have to consider rewriting dvds. Actually, they may well last longer than the magnetic impulses on professional backup tapes. One of the biggest hassles with writing to external backups, once it exceeds a single unit, is dividing the data up. Any suggestions for software to do this?
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 21:55	#11
NOTORIOUS BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 808 Thanked: 124 Times View My Garage	Ok , I would do this way , Will make one copy on DVD and Other On a HDD. Even After 5-6 years , i can always move to better technology for data archiving
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 22:07	#12
muralisk BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hyderabad, Bangalore Posts: 711 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	HDD any day is safe and easy to maintain as well. They are even quite portable and gives you great flexibility to take with you. So, it is HDD.
	() Thanks

8th June 2010, 22:26	#13
sanjayc BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 952 Thanked: 8 Times	Why don't you look at storing the 600GB data on a portable HDD and then the most critical of these data on those cheapo 16/32 gb pen drives / sd cards which are avlbl dime-a-dozen at throwaway prices! I have been keeping business-critical data on multiple 2.5/3.5 HDDs for close to 5 yrs now..no issue of drives failing. Care needs to be taken for storage in the dry/cool place and check the same once in a while. DVDs/CDs are a strict no-no for me - apart from the pain in creating those, these are prone to fungus/dust. I have seen the covers peeling off even while being kept in pouches/cd covers. Try also converting those massive videos into high-compression formats like MP4, which will take much less space and store them on iphone/ipods if you have one, thus giving you at least some respite if the originals go for a toss.
	() Thanks

9th June 2010, 03:23	#14
anku94 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 249 Thanked: 351 Times	Although HDDs seem to be the ideal option with optical disks being more delicate and reduced capacity, but one thing I hate about using HDDs for backup that you paid for a device that can read/write data millions of times, and you're using it to save data only once. You paid for a feature major R&D goes into and you're not using it. Being the bania I am, it hurts. :P Last edited by anku94 : 9th June 2010 at 03:26.
	() Thanks

9th June 2010, 03:32	#15
ghpk BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ghaziabad Posts: 870 Thanked: 211 Times	use SSD if possible, although the price of them is currently too high, they should have the maximum shelf life. Else make a few DVD's (8GB ones) and use an external HDD for another copy.
	() Thanks