Loss of Backups

I’ve written many times about the need to keep good backups – not just one backup, but multiple copies of backups. I had an experience last week that proves the point.

I keep three sets of backups:

1. My most critical files are backed up automatically every two hours to Mozy, an online backup service.
2. Almost all data files are backed up automatically starting at 1:00 AM every day to a 500–gigabyte  device that is on my in-home network. This device acts like a 500-gigabyte disk drive on the network. I back up the same files to the device that I also back up on Mozy, plus many more.
3. About once a month, I manually back up critical files to a DVD-ROM disk and take them to the office, storing them in a desk drawer there.

Some time last week, the automated middle-of-the-night backups started failing. A bit of investigation revealed that the network attached storage device was giving errors. I found that one of the disk drives in the storage device was spitting out read errors and write errors. Some of the files stored there were accessible while others were not. Had that been my only backup, and had I suffered a problem on the primary system(s), I could have been in trouble!

However, this is one case where I practice what I preach. I had the more critical files also backed up on Mozy and on a DVD disk at the office. While the loss of one set of backups was inconvenient, it turned out to be “no big deal.”

I have now reformatted the disk drive in question and have made a new, full backup to the NAS device. I’ll be keeping a close eye on it for a while to see if the errors re-appear. However, I have the added – and sometimes critical – insurance of other backups as well.

How many copies do you have of your backups?

Comments

[Reb Orrell]

Let's see. Anytime data is changed I backup to an 80 gig external USB hard drive and a smaller jump drive. Both of these items are removed from the computer room after backup and usually travel with me. Data is also transfered to my laptop.

About once a month I cut several 'safety' CDs. Every few months I cut extra of these and mail to my cousin in Fla (He does the same thing).

From time to time, I'll upload the information to a secure area of one of my websites.

[Infinite Ancestors]

I'm mainly on a Mac and have three internal drives in my primary machine. One drive gets automatic nightly incremental backups. Another gets a complete copy of my user directories (folders) at least once a month, sometimes as often as weekly. I can't wait for OS X Leopard; Time Machine will likely replace the nightly incrementals. I'll sometimes backup onto other computers on my network.

I also use my flash drive for critical files, but have been using less optical media for anything but short-term backups because of its inherent longevity problems. I do use archival-grade DVDs for major projects like family videos, slide shows, collections of genealogy information, etc., and send sets to family (which also serve as offsite backups). I put some files on online services, but only in encrypted form.

Plus, anytime I've been working on something that has changed a lot of files, I'll drag the files to another hard disk just to capture my immediate work.

[Happy Dae]

Being ex-military and working with the computers and databases as my "MOS" (military operational specialty), I do just what we did back then. And it works.

I use the Son-Father-Grandfather methodology. My oldest backup is the grandfather, of course. Then I rotate the grandfather to be the recipient of the newest (son) data. And the son becomes the father, etc. This form of rotation has been so easy and useful, I've just never changed. And yes, the father and grandfather are stored elsewhere.

Happy Dae.
http://www.ShoeStringGenealogy.com/ssg1.htm

[JLB]

Everything off-site with Mozy. Two external hard-drives using SyncbackSE, one large enough for everything, the smaller one for genealogy files only. And a couple of USB keys for specific other files, other reasons. I also mail disks around the country if it's appropriate.

http://www3.telus.net/Jgen/jlog-rss.xml

[Bob Paulson]

I use MirrorFolder to back up RAID-like to a second hard drive on my main desktop system, and also use it for synchronizing with two removable hard drives, the latest of which is always with me in my backpack wherever I go, and four USB memory sticks, the latest of which is always in my key case (4 GB) and one in my backpack (8 GB). I back up to Mozy about every two hours, but if I have just finished something I consider important, then I start Mozy manually. I copy all my files once a day from a newly-created removable hard disk to my laptop (I have found this easier to do than use a network connection in my situation; it also shows me that this backup is good) and the laptop backs up to CrashPlan Central. I store one of two other MirrorFolder-synchronized removable hard drives in a bank safety deposit box once a month. And send relatives occasionally CDs/DVDs.

If you are using Mozy or another online backup service, be sure to test a restore once in a while. I had problems with my 80 MB Family Tree Maker file in that FTM 16 didn't like the .FTW file as restored by Mozy. I never had any problem if I instead opened the backup .FBC or .FBK files as restored by Mozy. I contacted Mozy support and they responded right away and seem to have tweaked my account to always back up the full file instead of only sending a patch. FTM is sometimes very sensitive with large, complex FTW files, giving its dreaded "your file is damaged..." error, which isn't always necessarily the case. I never have had any problems with restores from CrashPlan Central.

- BobP

[Sharon]

Like "Happy Dae," I'm a retired computer professional and use the son,father, grandfather approach. I use Acronis as my backup software, which runs on an automatic schedule. It creates a _full image_ of my hard drives to a dedicated, removable hard drive. Daily incremental backups are created on the same backup drive. Once a month, the removable hard drive is replaced with a "fresh" backup drive and the cycle repeats. Meanwhile the removed drive goes to a fire-proof, water-proof safe. I am about to purchase a 3rd removable drive which will cycle to my safety deposit box at the bank.

In my former life, I experienced my employer losing data and even bad backups. I learned early the value of good backups, having spent many a night at the office repairing damaged databases.

It was a number of years before good, dependable backup software came to the pc market. I tried and experienced restore problems from some of the earlier forms of pc backups. Finally, I found what I was looking for in Acronis. Although, there are probably good competitors out there now (I've used Acronis for 4 years), I remain with that sofware.

My last system failure was easy: replace hardware, restore system from image backup and continue working.

Although Dick did not ask, I use VisaVersa Pro to transfer files between my laptop and desktop. Technically you can say that is also a backup software also, but it does not image your drive. User friendly, especially for the computer challenged.

[Van Gale]

Amazon's S3 service is starting to spawn several interesting services. Specifically relevant to your post is the JungleDisk backup service:

http://www.jungledisk.com/index.shtml

I'm not affiliated with these guys and haven't actually used them, but S3 is going to enable more and more of these types of online backup services.

Using different S3 "buckets" allows the son-father-grandfather methodology.

[BBMcD]

Oy! I turn my computer off and say a little prayer each night. (No failures in 15 years) ;-)

[AGS-Golden]

BBmcD,

I've found that hard drives are like motorcycles. There are only two kinds--those that have crashed, and those that will crash! I hope you don't have a failure for another 15 years, but law of probability... Oh, well--you get the hint.

[MysteryJayhawk]

I thought I posted earlier today but I was in a hurry, anyway, I don't see my post anymore. Dick is correct that backups are important! Dick, you might want to consider doing an article on Drobo, a data-saving robot that is a truly innovative backup device which has become a huge success because your data always remains secure and backed up. I wish Drobo had been aroung a long time ago. In the past, I have done the same as the poster above, BBMcD and said a prayer. No failures in almost 30 years. However, times have changed. The task of managing data has quickly become a concern for anyone and particularly genealogists who have digital assets they hope to keep forever. These include digital movies, photographs, census images, and other digital copies of data files, information documents, online books or Web sites, etc. pertaining to our family research.

By accident, I found Data Robotics' Drobo on the internet. Like a previous poster, I am not, in any way, affiliated with Data Robotics, Inc. or Drobo but I did recently purchased a Drobo and actually installed it this afternoon. I was literally able to setup the Drobo in less than 10 minutes. Data Robotics' new Drobo is designed to safeguard your data automatically. This solution works exactly as promised for people like me who are computer challenged as many genealogists are. I would rather spend my time doing research. Simple work of data protection, Drobo takes care of all the protection behind the scenes. I am wowed!

There has been a Drobo invasion. Drobo is the world's first data robot. A solution that allows you to easily manage, protect, and scale storage for your PC or Mac. Drobo, the first fully-automated storage robot to take the pain out of keeping your important digital content safe. Drobo received a coveted editors choice from both CNET and PC Magazine scoring 8.8 out of 10 or Excellent. The bottom line: Drobo takes the pain and confusion out of data protection and is the most innovative storage device seen in along time. See what all the Drobo buzz is about. http://www.drobo.com/products.aspx

[Roger]

Thanks to Dick's recommendation, I have backed up all my critical data on Mozy.com. I found the interface to be very easy to understand, and my data gets backed up once every 24 hours. I also back up my Legacy Family Tree data (with over 35,000 family file names) onto an external hard drive on my desk, and onto a backup division of my internal hard drive everytime I close down my Legacy files. Once a month I burn my Legacy data to a DVD and keep the copy in my safe deposit box at the bank. Why do I do this? Because I remember turning on my computer one morning years ago to find a large puff of smoke as my power supply went bad and destroyed everything it supplied power to. Up to that moment, that computer had operated without a hitch. Sweet! Then a puff of smoke and not so sweet! I figure that the $6.95 a month to Mozy brings the best and most peaceful nightly rest I could wish for. To the writer who says he says his prayers for his data every night and has had no problems for 15 years -- remember, faith without works is dead. or fried! Thanks again, Dick!

[Cyndi]

Kept telling myself, "I'll do just what Dick suggests. Starting next week." [Yep, what a procastinator!]

Got up yesterday and started to boot up. Only it wouldn't. Ran diagnostics, and ALL tests failed. So, not being completely computer literate, called in a computer doc. And I guess you can tell what that meant.

My hard drive is fried.

It's going to cost me, and cost me dearly, for the hard drive to be sent out to an expert to try to retrieve my genealogical files. As well as the pic files.

NEVER AGAIN! I have already set everything in place to begin a triple save backup!

[Say a prayer the guys who have my hard drive can retrieve my failes!!!]

[Elaine]

I back my data up to Mozy every 24 hrs, and every time I change any information in my genealogy program I also back the files up to a small jump drive. Periodically I also back up on DVD. And believe it or not, I still use hard paper copies of my genealogy information. So not only do I enter information into my program, I also enter it on the good old paper family group sheets.

[Betty]

BBmcD
I laughed out loud at your post. Thanks for a great bit of humor in a pretty much humorless discussion site.
Betty

[Walter Wood]

I am using the new Windows Home Server (WHS) for backup. It has been finished but not released. I am using the release candidate. WHS backs up all computers on my network daily. WHS allows for file sharing on the LAN and also allows me to access my files at home from anywhere on the Internet. WHS should hit the market shortly. See http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/default.mspx BTW I am not affiliated with MS other than beta testing on occasion.

I also make a DVD (or more) of all documents, photos and music files to take to work once a month.