Back Up Your Computer in Three Ways

[Turk.]

By Walt Mossberg March 11, 2014, 6:00 AM PDT
Back Up Your Computer in Three Ways

For years, everyone has told you that you should be backing up your computer on a regular schedule ? even though it?s a pain to do so ? lest you lose precious data to a crash, to malware, to theft or just irreversible failure. But everyone has been wrong. In fact, you should back up your computer in three different ways, continuously. And it is easier than ever to do.

In particular, you should do a massive, automated, constant backup to a cloud service. Why? Because, if there?s a home burglary, fire or flood that causes the theft or destruction of both your computer and any local backup drives, you?ll still have an up-to-date copy of your documents, photos, videos, music and other files you?ve saved.

Triple Backup Strategy



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[PsyOpWarlord]

I wish I could.  The cloud backup isn't really feasible for me.  I have about 5TB of data right now.  It would take way too long (months) to download back if I lost the original drive.

 

For my iMac constant backups (Time Machine) I have an external ioSafe waterproof/fireproof drive.  I keep my iTunes library on a second external drive.

 

I've resigned myself to doing regular backups (Carbon Copy Cloner) of those on a third external 6TB drive and taking it and storing off-site at my office.   Pain to go back and forth with a drive but it offers me the quickest restore option if I need it.

The iMac and all the externals are encrypted with FileVault 2 in case any of them were stolen.

 

[Circaflex]

I wish I could.  The cloud backup isn't really feasible for me.  I have about 5TB of data right now.  It would take way too long (months) to download back if I lost the original drive.

 

For my iMac constant backups (Time Machine) I have an external ioSafe waterproof/fireproof drive.  I keep my iTunes library on a second external drive.

 

I've resigned myself to doing regular backups (Carbon Copy Cloner) of those on a third external 6TB drive and taking it and storing off-site at my office.   Pain to go back and forth with a drive but it offers me the quickest restore option if I need it.

The iMac and all the externals are encrypted with FileVault 2 in case any of them were stolen.

 

to me the cloud is only useful for stuff i can never replicate again, like photos, documents from past, etc not necessarily movies and install files. granted you might have tons of homemade movies or movies you have made which might add up in space, but thats how i look at cloud because i agree if i wanted to backup everything that i have on a normal backup cloud is too much trouble

[COKid]

Yeah, I'll pass on storing stuff in the cloud. Yearly fees, privacy concerns, etc. Cloud storage is convenient, but there are trade-offs. I'd rather pay once for an extra drive and keep it off-site.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I back up 3 ways, in fact we can have a little treasure hunt. I've posted this about 3 times. See if you can find on Neowin how warwagon backs-up ... first person wins! :)

[Marshall Veteran]

I back up 3 ways, in fact we can have a little treasure hunt. I've posted this about 3 times. See if you can find on Neowin how warwagon backs-up ... first person wins! :)

 

Wins what? Are you going to buy them a Sub?? :)

[+Warwagon MVC]

Wins what? Are you going to buy them a Sub?? :)

 

Na, it will just be a display of their mad kung fu google skills.

[Marshall Veteran]

No big deal ;)

 

Edit: No I didn't use Google, the Forum search works just fine if you know it's strong and weak points.

[+Warwagon MVC]

No big deal ;)

 

Edit: No I didn't use Google, the Forum search works just fine if you know it's strong and weak points.

 

Good Job! Now find the other time I mentioned it! I either said it 1, 2 or 3 other times.

[blerk]

For the cloud "backup", I use various free services, though it isn't so much a first-line backup option as a backup system of last resort, and a convenient way to access my files anywhere. If I need to rebuild a hard-disk, I don't want to download all my stuff, I'll just use an external disk. 

 

My Google Drive folder resides within my SkyDrive, and both of those have free storage at about 25Gb which is enough for my documents. Photos I upload to flickr with all settings to private. Music I store on Google Music - but that's currently a bit of a mess. I just watch videos online, so I don't really see any need to store those, and  my home videos live on Flickr. 

 

My cobbled together system works rather well I think, and  I quite like the bucketloads of free online storage that I get. 1TB on Flickr, 25GB on Drive, 45GB on Skydrive, 20,000 songs on Play Music is plenty storage and I'm rather pleased. :)

[snaphat (Myles Landwehr) Member]

Hmm... apathy continues to get the best of me and as a result I continue to neglect to update my backups since last may...

[blerk]

Hmm... apathy continues to get the best of me and as a result I continue to neglect to update my backups since last may...

That's exactly the reason I now save everything to Skydrive, etc. The sync clients work nicely in the background, and I can be somewhat very lazy with my actual proper backups while knowing that at least the stuff I really need/want is all safe. 

[Hum]

I've always wondered, who backs up the Cloud ....

[snaphat (Myles Landwehr) Member]

That's exactly the reason I now save everything to Skydrive, etc. The sync clients work nicely in the background, and I can be somewhat very lazy with my actual proper backups while knowing that at least the stuff I really need/want is all safe. 

But, that doesn't protect against bitrot though. I.e. if your drives end up with undetected corruption, it will sync that to the cloud. I don't consider cloud storage to be backup solution primarily for that reason, but as you say: my important stuff is also in the cloud which is one of the reason I am so lax about putting in the effort to copy everything locally for backups.

[barryherne]

So, I am backing up in three ways via Acronis True Image (http://www.acronis.com/en-us/personal/pc-backup) and one of them is the cloud. I think it is one of the best ways to keep the data safe. The biggest problem is to find a reliable company and agree with the prices they offer. If you have not a huge amount of data it is going to be quite affordable. It was the case with me while choosing Acronis.

[riahc3]

Hello,

I've always wondered, who backs up the Cloud ....

:laugh:

Its a good question but problably all cloud servers have a custom hybrid RAID setup.

[Praetor]

Hmm... apathy continues to get the best of me and as a result I continue to neglect to update my backups since last may...

 

... until Murphy's Law gets the best of you :laugh:

[T3X4S]

Cloud & "privacy issues" - I have to laugh when people say things like "I dont want them looking at my files !!" - 99/100 they have absolutely nothing of any importance.

I use my OneDrive for backup of all important docs, & all pics.  Local Backups are done periodically with Acronis via the boot disc.

[Praetor]

Hello,

:laugh:

Its a good question but problably all cloud servers have a custom hybrid RAID setup.

 

hi,

 

the place i work is a cloud vendor and we have several (more than 3 :laugh: ) backup strategies: continuous protection, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly using also different types of media. Also not only we do have on site backups but off site as well; can't obviously say all the details but it's amazingly safe.

 

oh and we don't use RAID 5 in our storage :laugh: :rofl:

[+BudMan MVC]

14 Mentions of backblaze in bit over 1000 words, with 3 different images with the name backblaze in it as well - was that an article about backing up your stuff or ad for guess who?

 

I do agree your critical stuff that can not be replaced should have a DR plan..  Putting it in the cloud can be part of your total backup strategy for sure, does not have to be expensive.  Sure you could go with pay up front for unlimited storage..  There are like a bazillion of them.  Or you could use amazon glacier for example at 0.01 per GB.  My DR of my home videos and pictures is costing me a whole 55 cents a month currently.  This will ramp up sure over the years - but until you get to a point where it cost more in glacier than it does for any of the other unlimited backup services I think I will go with a company that clearly knows about cloud storage - and with many of your online services they are most likely leveraging amazon anyway ;)  Cut out the middle man and save some money.

 

People with mentions of large amounts of data - 5TB for example.  You have 5TB of critical stuff that is one of kind that can not be replaced?  Or is that your media library with your copy of Gilligan's Island ripped?  If you want a backup to save you rerip time then sure another copy of that on disks you buy and store offsite is prob your best bet.  I personally don't see a need for either parity or backup of something I have sitting on blueray on my self, or I can just go to the store and buy again, etc.

 

If you do have a lot then go with a company that will allow you to send them a disk, and will send you a disk if you need replacement.  Normally an extra cost involved crashplan I know does this for a like $125 seed cost for upload, and a bit more to ship your files back on disk if you don't want to spend the time downloading them in case of needed restore, etc.

 

If anything should come out of this thread - anyone reading it that does not have a backup of your "critical" files -- please do it now!!

[Anibal P]

If it's important I will have a copy on my Google Drive and Dropbox, also have Copy and Box as options, everything else is a reinstall or download away, not going to waste time worrying about it 

[tuckeratlarge]

In my home environment I don't have terabytes of data to back up.

 

20 odd gigs of photos which get backup up to External HDD, OneDrive, and Flickr. 1 to 2 gigs of documents and spreadsheets which get backed upto External HDD, Dropbox and - sans PDFs which get backed up to Box - Google Drive.

 

I only backup stuff I create or are sent to me by work. Anything that can be downloaded from the t'internet doesn't get backed up because you can just download it. For a home user the many free cloud services suffice. I could just use the 50GB I get from Box, but eggs in one basket and all that. 

[leesmithg]

By Walt Mossberg March 11, 2014, 6:00 AM PDT

Back Up Your Computer in Three Ways

For years, everyone has told you that you should be backing up your computer on a regular schedule ? even though it?s a pain to do so ? lest you lose precious data to a crash, to malware, to theft or just irreversible failure. But everyone has been wrong. In fact, you should back up your computer in three different ways, continuously. And it is easier than ever to do.

In particular, you should do a massive, automated, constant backup to a cloud service. Why? Because, if there?s a home burglary, fire or flood that causes the theft or destruction of both your computer and any local backup drives, you?ll still have an up-to-date copy of your documents, photos, videos, music and other files you?ve saved.

Triple Backup Strategy

Read More

''even though it?s a pain to do so'' It is not a pain to do so!

 

Install Norton Ghost, attach a 500gb u.s.b. drive, then start with a full backup then everyday run increments.

 

I backup 3 to 4 times per day.

[+BudMan MVC]

"I backup 3 to 4 times per day."

 

Waste of time.. What are you backing up the cache of the neowin logo in your browser cache?

 

There is being conscious of making sure you don't loose critical files and then there is what you are doing???  What could you be creating that you need to back up 3 to 4 times a day????? 

[leesmithg]

"I backup 3 to 4 times per day."

 

Waste of time.. What are you backing up the cache of the neowin logo in your browser cache?

 

There is being conscious of making sure you don't loose critical files and then there is what you are doing???  What could you be creating that you need to back up 3 to 4 times a day????? 

Wrong.

I do a system clean up before making a backup.

Anymore smart comments, please put them on a postcard and mail them to me.