Doug Kerr
Well-known member
My current "safety" situation for files comprises the following (all the systems discussed run Windows XP):
1. I mirror most of the data from the two hard drives on my machine (one for programs, one for data) onto space on one of the hard drives on Carla's machine. I mirror all the date from her two hard drives (except of course for the mirror of mine!) onto a separate partition on one of my hard drives. Because this operates on a "mirror" basis, it provides no protection should I accidentally "lose" (or screw up) a file (unless I realize it before nightfall).
2. I backup all the data onto DVD's using a "full-incremental scheme".
The amount of data has become so stupendous that the backup to DVD plan is just impractical. A "full" backup is overdue, and I face the prospect of recoding onto 20 or more disks!
I think I need to look into an external hard drive. This of course raises a lot of questions, including:
1. What interface? USB2 rigs are readily available. But I guess there is also the prospect of accessing it over our LAN (100baseT). What are the pros and cons of both? One matter would be just that of transfer speed. Another is that LAN-capable external drives seem harder to find; maybe I mean "harder to find inexpensively". If I used a USB2 rig, I would host it on my machine, and for mirroring the data from Carla's machine the software would read it over the LAN (as happens now for both mirror and backup to DVD) and write it out over the USB port to the external HD.
2. What data management strategy? A mirror strategy is perhaps the simplest, but gives me no "recall" of accidentally deleted or accidentally badly bungled files. But of course some version management system will consume more space. A compromise would be a scheme in which all files are written to the "safety" drive, so that a bungled one would displace the earlier "OK" one, but files that were deleted on my system would not be killed on the safety drive (as happens under the backup software I currently use for mirroring.) And what software packages would be good for administering this?
I'd appreciate any observations you might have on this matter.
Thanks so much.
1. I mirror most of the data from the two hard drives on my machine (one for programs, one for data) onto space on one of the hard drives on Carla's machine. I mirror all the date from her two hard drives (except of course for the mirror of mine!) onto a separate partition on one of my hard drives. Because this operates on a "mirror" basis, it provides no protection should I accidentally "lose" (or screw up) a file (unless I realize it before nightfall).
2. I backup all the data onto DVD's using a "full-incremental scheme".
The amount of data has become so stupendous that the backup to DVD plan is just impractical. A "full" backup is overdue, and I face the prospect of recoding onto 20 or more disks!
I think I need to look into an external hard drive. This of course raises a lot of questions, including:
1. What interface? USB2 rigs are readily available. But I guess there is also the prospect of accessing it over our LAN (100baseT). What are the pros and cons of both? One matter would be just that of transfer speed. Another is that LAN-capable external drives seem harder to find; maybe I mean "harder to find inexpensively". If I used a USB2 rig, I would host it on my machine, and for mirroring the data from Carla's machine the software would read it over the LAN (as happens now for both mirror and backup to DVD) and write it out over the USB port to the external HD.
2. What data management strategy? A mirror strategy is perhaps the simplest, but gives me no "recall" of accidentally deleted or accidentally badly bungled files. But of course some version management system will consume more space. A compromise would be a scheme in which all files are written to the "safety" drive, so that a bungled one would displace the earlier "OK" one, but files that were deleted on my system would not be killed on the safety drive (as happens under the backup software I currently use for mirroring.) And what software packages would be good for administering this?
I'd appreciate any observations you might have on this matter.
Thanks so much.