Backup Software?

[Aldazar]

Not sure if this is the right place for a post of this nature and if it's not, I apologize.

Anyway, I was wondering what kind of backup software people use to keep their photo collections backed up.

Ideally it'd be something free (or at least cheap) and simple, but reliable. I don't need bells and whistles, just something that will keep my photos backed up if I plug my hard drive in once a week or so.

Ideas anybody?

[cornerketch]

www.mozy.com (http://www.mozy.com)

i use the home unlimited version $4.95/month

2G if you want the free version

[gussie]

www.mozy.com (http://www.mozy.com)

i use the home unlimited version $4.95/month

2G if you want the free version

I store my RAW photos on a 1TB external hard drive, which is beginning to make me nervous. So, I just signed up for two years of Mozy. Then, after I'd downloaded the software, I read the fine print. It states that Mozy is NOT intended as an archiving solution. Well, I wish they'd told me that before I bought it.

They state that:
"If you have selected files from an external drive to be part of your regular backup and you unplug or turn off the drive while your backup is running, MozyHome detects that the files are gone and assumes that you no longer need them. Those files are then marked for deletion. After 30 days, the files are deleted from our servers and you are no longer able to get them back. However, if you reconnect the drive and run a back up, Mozy identifies the files, cancels the deletions and saves them in your backup set. Only files that have changed need to be backed up again."

So, if your external drive isn't hooked up, your remote files get deleted! No thanks.

[Angelo]

Wow, look what a simple "search" did using our handy dandy search tool -

dozens of threads on this exact same subject and these are just the first five.


http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1170310&postcount=1

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1146347&postcount=1

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1036453&postcount=1

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=856324&postcount=1

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=976662&postcount=1

[Aldazar]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I have signed up for the unlimited version of Mozy and am also using SyncToy to make backups to an external drive.

One comment/warning to others considering online backup - I don't know what kind of upload speeds you get, but even at the highest level available to me from Time Warner, I get less than 1Mb/s, meaning it will literally take a week for me to upload my relatively modest collection of photos (less than 40GB) to their servers. Obviously once the initial upload is done, subsequent updates will be quicker, but still, it means my computer has had to stay on 24/7 for quite a long time now and will be doing so through the end of the week.

[promoguy]

My first post and let me see the number 1.

I use carbonite and on the initial back up I believe it took about 48 hours. This was for business and assorted files related to business. After the initial back up it is continuously backing up as you work.

As someone mentioned if the photo files are copied to a DVD and later removed from the computer, carbonite and I guess mozy will assume you no longer what those files and delete them from the backup.

[FedererPhoto]

Come home from shoot -

copy files from CF cards to working HDD.
copy files from working HDD to external 'master' HDD.
copy files from working HDD to external 'backup1' HDD.
write all RAW files to DVD.

CF cards and backup external HDD's go to and off-site location.
DVD's go to another off-site location.

Process files on working HDD, daily copying work to external 'master' HDD.

Weekly copy all files from 'master' HDD to external 'backup#' HDD - where # is 1 the first week, 2 the second, 3 the third, etc... cycling through 4 backup external drives.

After finishing processing...
Online gallery created for client - full res files uploaded to server as backup to separate directory.
JPGs cut to disc for client
All RAW's, catalogs, PSD's etc get archived to 2 sets of DVDs, which go to different physical locations.
Final copy of working HDD data to external 'master' is made.


At this point, I clear the CF cards and the working HDD.

[thenimirra]

I've been using the SmugVault. It's a part of my workflow now to upload RAW files as soon as I shoot them. It helped save my toukis on one assignment when one of my flash cards died. Thankfully, I had backed them up on my SmugVault and was able to retrieve all the images. :clap

I really like the convenience of having everything accessible in the same place.

[JohnBiggs]

I now use a Western Digital Studio II. It has two drives in it and you can set it to mirror. Supports USB, FireWire 400/800, eSata.

Thats just for my working copy. (Always 2 copies on hand).

My backup plan is to then either buy 2 external single drive units and swap them off site once a month, or buy 2 more studio IIs and swap those.

hmmm...

John

[Chris O]

If you're wanting to automatically copy files to somewhere else (like your external drive) I like a program called Karens Replicator. It's free, super fast, and works very well. You can schedule it and everything.

[mercphoto]

Not sure if this is the right place for a post of this nature and if it's not, I apologize.

Anyway, I was wondering what kind of backup software people use to keep their photo collections backed up.

Ideally it'd be something free (or at least cheap) and simple, but reliable. I don't need bells and whistles, just something that will keep my photos backed up if I plug my hard drive in once a week or so.

Ideas anybody?
Apple's Time Machine. :)

[Aldazar]

Haha thanks...=P While I do have an older MBP, I use my Windows PC for my photo work mostly because it's way more powerful... Otherwise, Time Machine would be absolutely perfect... Oh well...

Apple's Time Machine. :)